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 Foreign financial institutions upbeat on China's economy Xinhua) 08:58, July 22, 2024 BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Overseas financial institutions have expressed their confidence in the prospects of China's economy, as the country's high-quality growth efforts are gradually paying off. The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that China's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 5 percent year on year in the first half of the year. On a seasonally adjusted basis, GDP grew 0.7 percent in the second quarter, marking the eighth consecutive quarter of positive growth. The Chinese economy's comparative advantage largely comes from research and innovation, said Wu Yibing, head of China for Singapore's state investment company Temasek. In the past, China's strength in manufacturing was usually attributed to its abundant labor force and high production efficiency, said Wu. In the first half of the year, the country's value-added industrial output, an important economic indicator, increased by 6 percent year on year, according to the NBS data. A breakdown of the data shows that the output of the equipment manufacturing sector, which took up one-third of the overall industrial output, climbed 7.8 percent in the period. The high-tech manufacturing industry also posted strong growth, with its output up 8.7 percent in the first half, according to the NBS. The country's production of service robots, smartphones and new energy vehicles surged 22.8 percent, 11.8 percent and 34.3 percent, respectively, in the first six months. Bloomberg said in a report on July 16 that China's long-term quest for high-quality growth is starting to bear fruit. "Advances in electric vehicles, solar panels and other high-tech industries have helped keep economic expansion within reach of its targeted pace of around 5 percent," said the report. Apart from industrial output and high-end manufacturing, investment and exports are also seen as the highlights of China's economy by the institutions. The effects of large-scale equipment upgrades and trade-in of consumer goods continue to manifest, driving effective investment along with the issuance of local government special bonds and ultra-long special treasury bonds, said Ji Mo, chief China economist of DBS Group Research. Data shows that China's investment in infrastructure construction during the January-June period rose 5.4 percent from the previous year, while manufacturing investment increased 9.5 percent. The country's net exports of goods and services drove GDP growth by 0.7 percentage points in the same period. China has become increasingly important as a major global supplier of goods and has continued to expand its market share despite trade restriction measures, said Liu Jing, chief economist for Greater China at HSBC. The accelerated development of new quality productive forces, the continuous release of policy effects and the recovery of external demand have supported China's economy, but further reform and opening-up is needed in the face of challenges such as insufficient effective demand and a complex external environment, multiple experts from the overseas financial institutions have said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Hate, division, and a resolution to rise above By Mark Alexander web posted July 22, 2024 When I researched the Tennessee legislature's Joint Resolution 803 in June in preparation for writing about it this month, I had no idea just how relevant and timely it would be. The attempted assassination of Donald Trump earlier this month gave me pause to look at that Joint Resolution, declaring July a Month of Prayer, with a different perspective. My analysis of that attempt, "Trump, Biden, the Assassin, and the Secret Service," as well as consideration of Trump's humble response to his near-death experience, makes it ever more clear that this Resolution is one Trump should recraft when he and J.D. Vance take office next January. OK, that is hopeful but presumptuous on my part, given we do not actually know yet who the Democrat nominee will be. I still believe the Demo delegates will replace Biden next month or, more accurately, that he will take himself out of the running, a position I staked out 21 months ago. This prospect seems more likely given Biden's campaign collapse after last month's debate and his failed attempts to appear lucid since. I hope I am wrong because I think the Biden/Harris ticket will be the easiest to defeat. But if Demo delegates do pull a fast switch, that will alleviate constituent concern about Biden's age, and Trump will have a steeper climb to victory. Currently, Trump marginally leads Biden in the RCP average of polls the only polling I consider of value. That has not yet shifted since the assassination attempt, but digging down to state polling, Trump looks stronger. But the attack on Trump caused, at least for a moment, Biden and his cadre to reconsider their campaign centerpiece the incessant claims that Trump is a "threat to democracy." That rhetorical theme is all Biden has to run on because his policy failures have been a disaster. However, his core constituents are too dullard to distinguish fact from the fictional lies Biden feeds them about Trump's record and too blinded by their chronic Trump Derangement Syndrome to care. Just hours after the Trump attack, Biden pulled all his campaign advertising, including an ad released two days before the attack calling the former president "a dictator" and "a threat to freedom in the United States." A Biden campaign official noted: "This changes everything. We're still assessing. Making the case against Trump, drawing that split screen, will get much harder." In other words, Biden's campaign of fear, hate, and division asserting Trump is the "enemy of democracy" hit a wall. Biden briefly shifted to his "President Unity" facade in an effort to divert attention from his incendiary campaign rhetoric. However, asked last Monday the day the GOP convention convened and two days after the assassination attempt if the Biden campaign message was going to change, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said, "It hasn't changed." To that end, resuming his divisive rhetoric last week, Biden declared: "How do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real...? Do you just not say anything because it may incite somebody?" Biden insisted out of one side of his mouth, "Our politics have become too heated," adding, "We all have a responsibility to lower the temperature." Then out of the other side, he affirmed he will keep the heat on high: "Just because we must lower the temperature in our politics as it relates to violence doesn't mean we should stop telling the truth." As I have noted, Trump's campaign rhetoric is equally strident, but Trump is focused on Biden's failed domestic and foreign policy record, not calling Biden a traitor to "democracy" and an enemy of the people. In fact, when Trump was shot, he was turning toward a panel listing the massive illegal immigration under Biden. Had he not turned toward that graphic, he would likely have suffered a fatal wound. Fact is, Trump actually has an exceptional record to run on, despite the plethora of unmitigated lies Biden constantly regurgitates about the MAGA record virtually none of which are subject to so-called "fact-checks" by his fawning Leftmedia publicists. So, what does this have to do with a Joint Resolution 803 in Tennessee? Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed a Resolution asking citizens to pray and fast for the month of July, a resolution in keeping with those of our founding era. Both chambers overwhelmingly approved the Resolution, which passed in the Senate 27-1 and in the House 82-6. The Resolution affirms that "God, as Creator," has the "authority to judge and bless" the states and our nation, acknowledging that our leaders must seek "the Creator's favor," much as President John Adams did in 1799. The Resolution quotes that proclamation: [This day] be observed throughout the United States of America as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that the citizens on that day abstain, as far as may be, from their secular occupation, and devote the time to the sacred duties of religion, in public and in private; that they call to mind our numerous offenses against the most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgressions, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience to his righteous requisitions in time to come; that He would interpose to arrest the progress of that impiety and licentiousness in principle and practice so offensive to Himself and so ruinous to mankind; that He would make us deeply sensible that "righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." [Proverbs 14:34] This Resolution is in the mold of the great founding resolutions, which you can read on our Historic Documents page. Its kinship to those resolutions affirms our devotion to American Liberty. The Resolution continues: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon all those who are physically able and spiritually inclined to do so to join in a thirty-day season of prayer and intermittent fasting as we begin a new fiscal year as a means of seeking God's blessing and humbling ourselves to receive His Grace and Mercy, transforming ourselves, our communities, our State, and our Nation. That stands in stark contrast to national declarations of June as the so-called "Pride Month," though there is evidence that public support for the leftist gender-confusion agenda is showing signs of decline. The Resolution notes specific issues that our nation faces, including surging violence committed by citizens and noncitizens, failure of public schools, the epidemic of drug and alcohol addiction, overdose deaths from fentanyl being muled across our southern border, human trafficking, children suffering from broken homes, and corruption of our federal government. A letter from the Resolution sponsors invites citizens to "read or have HJR 803 read in our church services; Examine our lives in light of God's Word and confess of our sins; Acknowledge that we, as the Church, have failed to stand for the principles of God, ask for His Forgiveness and Mercy, and commit to stand firmly on those principles going forward; For those who are able, join in prayer and intermittent fasting as a means of demonstrating our desire for repentance." Contacting Bill Lee, our State Senator Bo Watson, and district Representative Patsy Hazelwood for comment on their support of the measure served as a reminder of why I take great pride in our family's historic Tennessee ancestry, as well as the rise of good and righteous political leadership across our state the "Great State of Tennessee" now being among the most conservative in the nation. Gov. Lee, a man of strong faith, responded: "I'm proud to join the General Assembly in recognizing July as a month of prayer and fasting as we thank God for his many blessings, ask his forgiveness for our shortcomings, seek his wisdom in all circumstances, and ask for continued favor upon the great State of Tennessee." Sen. Watson responded: "The vast majority of Tennesseans believe in the power of prayer and supplication. HJR 803 states many of the spiritual values that we hold dear in our Great State and reaffirms our belief in a Creator and his presence in our daily lives as individuals, a state and a nation. As the psalmist writes in Psalms 22:28, 'for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations.'" Rep. Hazelwood responded: "Ephesians 6:18 says, 'And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.' Our state and country today are facing some very difficult issues, you might say evils. I think we have proven we cannot solve these challenging times or overcome these evils solely on our human efforts. Like John Adams, I believe we need to recognize that if America is to continue to be favored by the Lord, then we must reaffirm the foundation on which our nation was founded. We must turn to God, and this resolution calls on us, as God-fearing citizens, to do just that, as only He can heal our country." A friend and former legislator, Chris Clem, summed up the Resolution: "Like John Adams, we need to recognize that if America is to continue to be favored by the Lord, then America has to remember our foundation of faith. This resolution calls on us as God-fearing citizens to fear and honor God. Only God can heal our land. This resolution is designed to call on God not voters." Amen. Trump and Vance, take note! And a 1776 bookend from John Adams: "I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not." Through all the contemporary gloom, I still believe as Ronald Reagan did: "America's best days are yet to come. Our proudest moments are yet to be. Our most glorious achievements are just ahead." Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Enhanced scrutiny and the omnipresent specter of political bias By Stefan Padfield web posted July 22, 2024 Corporate politicization, when companies take sides in our culture war and risk alienating half their potential customers, is a serious concern. Recent examples of companies that have felt its negative impact on shareholder value abound, including Bud Light, Target, and Disney. Of course, the business judgment rule creates the presumption that the underlying decisions in those cases were fully informed and rationally expected to maximize shareholder value, but it would be naive to dismiss the possibility that political bias and a lack of viewpoint diversity skewed the relevant decisions. Essentially, the concern is that decision-makers have become so committed to, or blinded by, their political tribalism and activist mindset that they have an actionable conflict of interest. Alternatively, it's possible that the personal prestige of, for example, associating with the ESG-crowd at Davos may also be creating a conflict. One proposed response to this issue is the extension of judicial enhanced scrutiny from the anti-takeover context, which raises the possibility that directors are defending against a takeover to protect their sinecures, to situations that raise the specter of political bias. I advanced a version of this proposal here. I later learned that Fordham University Professor Brent Horton made a similar proposal around the same time. This was closely followed by a related federal statutory proposal from Senator Marco Rubio (linking to my piece). Now the National Center for Public Policy Research, where I work, has offered a shareholder proposal that seeks to implement the enhanced-scrutiny extension through private ordering. This proposal was submitted to the shareholders of Dick's Sporting Goods, which is an appropriate venue given that former CEO Ed Stack may be a prime example of a corporate leader who elevated personal political preferences over the duty to maximize shareholder value. The specific political issue in that case was gun rights and the key moment was when Stack declared "I don't care about the financial consequences" of restricting gun sales. Of course, the Second Amendment does not require Dick's to sell guns, but Delaware law does require the CEO of Dick's to make fully informed decisions about shareholder wealth maximization. Stack could free himself of that constraint by, for example, starting his own private sporting goods business, but he can't treat the company like his personal plaything. Notably, when Stack tried to calculate the financial impact of restricting gun sales, he apparently could find no financial upside. His behavior arguably constitutes (1) a knowing breach of the duty of care (and thus constitutes non-exculpable bad faith) or (2) a waste of assets in the form of knowingly eliminating $250 million in sales with no financial upside (for the underlying details, see here and here). Regardless, it also provides a good example of the type of decision-making that should be subject to enhanced scrutiny under the proposed framework if it is otherwise deemed to fall short of rebutting the business judgment rule. Dick's sought no-action relief from our proposal. Notably, the SEC, in denying that relief, rejected a number of relevant corporate law objections to our proposal. Of course, Delaware courts are not bound by the SEC's conclusions here. But proponents can nevertheless claim to have won a round in this fight. Specifically, the SEC rejected the following arguments: (1) the proposal would cause the company to violate Delaware law; (2) the company lacks the power to implement the proposal; and (3) the proposal is inherently vague and indefinite and subject to multiple interpretations. The relevant no-action correspondence here. Rebuffing the no-action request was a win, but the proposal received essentially no support from the shareholders who voted. Certainly, this could mean there is no market appetite for subjecting boards to enhanced scrutiny when their decisions raise the specter of political bias. On the other hand, there are a number of reasons for suspending judgment on that point. First, the proxy statement presented the proposal under a misleading heading. It was described as seeking to "amend the Company's By-Laws to waive the business judgment rule" while the proposal in fact left the protection of the business judgment rule intact but for a narrower set of specific cases. Second, the proposal's novelty may have turned off voters who might end up supporting it once the details are fleshed out. After all, it took some time for declassified-board proposals to gain momentum. Third, the largest institutional investors have a record of voting against (or recommending voting against) anti-ESG proposals and proposals submitted by ESG critics (see here and here), and this record has many concerned (see here and here). Ask yourself: If you made money selling ESG funds and services, would you support anti-ESG proposals? As Scott Shepard, general counsel of the National Center for Public Policy Research, recently put it in commenting on some related news coverage (here): The most negative critique they could achieve was that FEP's and its allies' proposals don't score high shareholder-vote totals failing to report, as we explained to them, that those low totals don't demonstrate shareholder disinterest in corporate neutrality, but instead are a measure of the dishonesty, fiduciary breach and potential regulatory and even criminal liability of the big three investment houses (BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard) and the two major proxy advisory services (ISS and Glass Lewis). It may be that shareholders won't ever support such proposals, even if they are efficient. This might happen if, for example, there are simply too many details to be worked out in a 500-word proposal. If that's the case, then legislative and judicial approaches will need to be relied on unless adoption can be negotiated. (Relatedly, it has been noted that: "Not only is the enactment of the market practice amendments expected to restore the status quo that preceded the Moelis decision, but we may also see activists emboldened to seek governance restrictions from the company that heretofore were easily rebuffed as being potentially in violation of Section 141(a) of the DGCL.") Of course, lawmakers and judges may also require significant additional convincing. Regardless, given the politicized landscape of corporate governance, the proposition that corporate decisions raising the specter of political bias should be subjected to enhanced scrutiny is unlikely to go away, and work will continue on finding the right balance of board accountability and authority (including the use of appropriate safe harbors) to make the proposal appealing to relevant decision-makers. Stefan Padfield is the Deputy Director of the Free Enterprise Project at the National Center for Public Policy Research. This was first published at the CLS Blue Sky Blog. Home AmCham Vietnam endorses host nations market economy status petition By Tri Duc Mon, July 22, 2024 | 2:58 pm GMT+7 The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AmCham Vietnam) supports Vietnam being designated as a market economy by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The support has been expressed in letters to the department as the latter prepares to issue a final decision on its changed circumstances review (CCR) of Vietnams non-market economy (NME) status by July 26, or 270 days after the review was initiated. In a letter sent to Secretary Gina Raimondo of the Commerce Department, AmCham Vietnam said we have witnessed first hand the transformation of Vietnams economy and the remarkable changes that have occurred. American companies and investors are now active in almost every sector of Vietnams economy, helping to integrate the country into the global supply chain and making the country more productive, safe and cleaner. The AmCham Vietnam letter also emphasized that it is certain that Vietnams economy is very different to the other 11 countries on the non-market economy list. We believe that sufficient progress has been made and that graduating Vietnam to market economy status serves the interests of the United States. In another letter sent to former Assistant Secretary Lisa W. Wang of the Commerce Department, the Hanoi Chapter of the AmCham Vietnam said: It has been over 20 years since Commerce (department) first determined Vietnam as a non-market economy in the anti-dumping investigation over catfish. Now, however, graduating Vietnam to market economy status serves the interests of the United States. Joseph Uddo, chairman of AmCham Vietnam Hanoi Chapter. Photo courtesy of the chamber. The letter went on to note that to date, over 70 countries recognize Vietnam as a market economy including key U.S. allies such as the UK, Canada, Australia and Japan. The letter sent to the U.S. Department of Commerce states expressly that AmCham Vietnam supports Vietnam in its petition to be designated a market economy. AmCham Vietnam's members have contributed to, and benefited from, Vietnam's transformation to an important and reliable participant in international trade markets, especially with the United States. This could not have been accomplished without an unwavering commitment to fair market pricing and international regulatory standards. The rapid and successful internationalization of Vietnam's economic model has resulted in marked improvements in its global competitiveness, transparency, regulatory standards, and reliance on fair market pricing for the effective distribution of its exports. Such improvements have contributed to a more open and market-oriented economy, the letter said. Indonesia strictly monitors seven imported goods By Vietnam News Agency Mon, July 22, 2024 | 11:45 pm GMT+7 Indonesian officials have announced that the country will soon establish a special task force to monitor and prevent smuggled goods from entering Indonesia in the near future. Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan delivers a statement to the press after attending the launch of Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week (JMFW) 2025 at the office of the Ministry of Trade in Jakarta, July 17, 2024. Photo courtesy of Antara. Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan on Friday stated that the widespread influx of foreign imported goods into the Indonesian market is causing economic damage and stifling domestic manufacturing industries. However, efforts to combat this situation face many challenges due to limitations in monitoring mechanisms and accountability from enforcement agencies. The current requirement is for a special task force with comprehensive solutions to achieve positive results, he added. According to Hasan, the inter-agency special task force will be established, including representatives from the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Industry, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the National Police, and the Attorney Generals Office. Initially, this task force will monitor seven categories of goods including textiles and textile products (TPT), electronics, footwear, clothing, ceramics, and cosmetics. Hasan stated that authorities will closely monitor these seven types of goods at ports on the island of Java, as this area has the largest volume of goods imported into Indonesia. Inspections at ports outside Java will be conducted if there is information about imported goods to ensure cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Hasan emphasised that all relevant units agree that smuggled goods entering Indonesia are affecting domestic production activities. Tightening the flow of goods into the Indonesian market will stimulate domestic products. A Delta Air Lines jet leaves the gate at Logan International Airport in Boston. Some airline issues were continuing Monday after a faulty software update caused worldwide havoc last week and resulted in several carriers grounding flights. Data show the impact is declining early Monday. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press Jose Angel Saavedra, left, and his wife Sara, of Johnston, Iowa, look at their cell phones while trying to book a flight after their original flight was cancelled Friday at Des Moines International Airport. Traffic snarls continued Monday, with Delta Air Lines being the hardest hit. Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press Delta Air Lines Inc. struggled for a fourth day Monday to recover from a worldwide technology outage caused by a faulty software update, stranding tens of thousands of passengers and drawing increasing scrutiny from the federal government. As other carriers returned to nearly normal levels of service, Delta continued struggling to rebound from the tech outage that hit airlines, hospitals and businesses around the world early Friday. A spokesperson said the airline expects to cancel more flights this week. At San Antonio International Airport, 11 of the 17 flights that had been canceled by 2:30 p.m. Monday were on the Atlanta-based airline, according to data from FlightAware. At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, 26 of 27 cancellations were Delta flights. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The total number of cancellations within, into or out of the U.S. had topped 1,600, which is greater than a typical day with no holiday. More than half of those were Delta flights. The problems brought back memories of Southwest Airlines meltdown during a winter storm in December 2022 that overwhelmed its crew-scheduling system and forced the airline to scrap nearly 17,000 flights. This time, theyre a result of a global technology outage that grounded flights worldwide and disrupted the operations of banks, transit systems and emergency services. A buggy update from Austin cybersecurity company CrowdStrike set off the outages for millions of users of Microsoft Corp.s Windows operating system worldwide beginning late Thursday. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he spoke to Delta CEO Ed Bastian about the airlines rising number of cancellations. Buttigieg said his agency had received hundreds of complaints and he expects the airline to provide hotels and meals for travelers who are delayed and to issue quick refunds to customers who dont want to be rebooked on a later flight. Advertisement Article continues below this ad No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent, he said. Delta had canceled nearly 6,000 flights since the outage started. The airline and its regional affiliates accounted for about two-thirds of all cancellations worldwide Monday. United Airlines was the next-worst performer since the onset of the outage, canceling nearly 1,500 flights. United had canceled only 21 Monday flights by midafternoon, however. Other airlines caught up in the first round of groundings also returned to mostly normal operations by Monday. That included American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Air. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a message to customers Sunday, Bastian said Delta was working to restore operations. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events, he said. He blamed the airlines significant number of functions that rely on Microsoft Windows, including its crew-tracking tools, rendering the airline unable to process large volumes of changes to flight personnel. The technology issue occurred on the busiest travel weekend of the summer, with our booked loads exceeding 90%, limiting our reaccommodation capabilities, Bastian said. Loads are the percentage of sold seats on each flight. Airlines have large, layered technology systems and their crew-tracking programs are often among their oldest systems. When the outage began Friday, it also affected systems used to check in passengers, schedule crews and make pre-flight calculations about aircraft weight and balance, various airlines said. United and American reported intermittent problems communicating with crews in the air, contributing to their decisions to briefly ground all flights. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some airlines, including Southwest and Alaska, do not contract with CrowdStrike. Those carriers saw relatively few cancellations. Aviation experts said it was likely that Delta has more systems running on Microsoft Windows than other airlines. The impact of the CrowdStrike IT outage will linger on for a few more days yet, and will stay in the minds of travelers with canceled holidays for even longer, John Grant, senior analyst with travel data provider OAG, said in a blog post. Such events highlight the challenges of an industry dependent on external IT systems that can, and likely will, fail again in the future. Delta has offered waivers to make it easier for customers to reschedule trips. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its meltdown is reminiscent of Southwest Airlines debacle in December 2022. After a federal investigation of its compliance with consumer-protection rules, the airline agreed to pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million settlement with the Transportation Department. On Monday, the tech outage wasnt the only issue impacting air travel. Inclement weather caused flight delays mainly in the Southeast, including in Atlanta, where Delta is based. FlightAware showed the number of delays within, into or out of the U.S. was nearing 6,000 by 2:30 p.m. (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. Kingdom Holding Company said it has signed an agreement with Sumou Holding to acquire the Alinma Jeddah Economic City Fund - valued at SAR6.8 billion ($1.8 billion). The Fund owns the tallest tower in the world coming up at Jeddah along with the 1.7 million sq m of land located adjacent to it. The duo has entered into a deal with the fund's owner Jeddah Economic Company (JEC) for the take-over, said the global investment company in its filing to Saudi bourse Tadawul. The agreement was signed in the presence of Prince Al Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kingdom Holding Company and Ayedh bin Farhan Al Qahtani, the Chairman of the board of directors of Sumou Holding Company. The JEC is currently developing the Jeddah Tower project in Saudi Arabia, whose towering structure will exceed 1,000 m in height. For this ambitious project, the key architect is US-based Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill, and engineering consultant is Lebanons Dar Al Handasah (Shair & Partners). The multi-use Jeddah Tower includes the Four Seasons Hotel, a shopping mall, commercial offices, and luxury residential units. The nearby lands, part of the acquisition agreement, include towers, residential and commercial complexes, shopping, entertainment and tourism areas, and international hotels. Under the new arrangement, the alliance parties will be Sumou Holding Company and Kingdom Holding Company (which will acquire a 40% stake in the fund), while Jeddah Economic Company will have a 4.1% share.-TradeArabia News Service The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has announced the signing of a MoU with the General Directorate of Civil Defence at the Ministry of Interior for Bahrain, thus marking a significant step in its ongoing efforts to enhance strong fire safety and prevention measures in the kingdom. Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, self-funded, nonprofit organisation devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The MoU signing ceremony, held during the annual NFPA Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida, was attended by key representatives from both entities. The MoU is aimed at fostering a collaborative relationship between the two parties, leveraging the extensive NFPA expertise and resources in fire, electrical and life safety, and Bahrain Civil Defences local knowledge and experience in the areas of firefighting and civil defence. The partnership will focus on organising awareness forums to disseminate critical information aimed at reducing the impact of fires and hazards, said the statement from NFPA. Additionally, both parties will work together on relevant laws and standards, promoting education and sharing best practices to enhance public safety in the kingdom, it stated. "Building on the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem framework, we are charting a roadmap for developing comprehensive training and certification programs, advancing fire research, and enhancing public education across the kingdom," remarked NFPA President & CEO Jim Pauley. "We are very pleased to be working with Bahrain on this initiative, which aims to advance fire safety and mitigate risks through increased fire risk awareness and reduction strategies," remarked Pauley. On the significance of the partnership, Engineer Dana Kamal, the Director, International Business Development for Mena region at NFPA, said: "Its an honor to collaborate with Bahrain Civil Defence on our shared mission to advance fire and life safety across the kingdom. By leveraging the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem, we aim to empower communities and ensure that Bahrain Civil Defence personnel are equipped with the highest standards of safety knowledge and skills to help fulfil their commitment to public safety and create a safer environment for all." "Together, we will make significant strides in fire safety education, training, and awareness programs, enabling us to work more closely to address emerging fire safety challenges and enhance the effectiveness of our initiatives," he stated. On the strategic tieup, Brigadier Pilot Ali Mohamed AlKubaisi, the General Director of Civil Defence of Bahrain said: "This initiative is a strategic milestone for the General Directorate of Civil Defence to implement Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 by raising the level of safety and fire prevention. This MoU allows us to be part of the NFPA Ecosystem, learning, developing, and benefiting from international community experiences in order to participate in strengthening this framework." With operations in over 70 countries, supported by more than 5,000 volunteers, and engaging with over 43,000 global members, NFPA is actively promoting safety in a rapidly electrifying world, addressing critical crisis across the world, defending the value of codes and standards, and highlighting international efforts in emerging issues and trends in fire, electrical, and life safety. This partnership will act as a testament to NFPAs overall objective of increasing safety for people and property. The General Directorate of Civil Defence also wants to benefit from best practices in this field to qualify its employees to rise to the international level and provide them with the opportunity to exchange experiences, data, and information for the benefit of all stakeholders, leaving a positive impact on everyone in this field, he stated. "We would like to express our honor to be part of the NFPA family and look forward to working together as a team," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Serco, a leading provider of public services, has promoted its Chief People and Culture Officer Hana Abu Kharmeh to Chief Operations Officer (COO) a new role for the Middle East region. The appointment means that Hana will now lead the companys technology and transition teams, in addition to continuing to oversee the Middle Easts human resources (HR) and workforce management (WFM) functions. The promotion comes following a period of growth for the business, with Serco continuing to strengthen its technology capabilities as a key enabler for its people led service offering. Kharmeh will now be instrumental in driving forward innovation, whilst ensuring the quality and consistency of delivery are maintained. Leadership skills Effective immediately, the new role will see Kharmeh bring together her leadership skills having previously led Sercos people department for the past five years, where she was instrumental in positioning Serco as an employer of choice for nationals, developing local talent and fostering a culture of employee growth and wellbeing. Some of Kharmehs most notable achievements include surpassing the companys Emiratisation targets sevenfold (with Serco recently winning a NAFIS UAE Award from the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council in recognition of its efforts) and increasing the number of female nationals in the business by 133% so far this year, when compared to 2022. Reporting into Phil Malem, Serco Middle Easts CEO, Kharmeh will continue to sit on Sercos executive leadership team, where over 50% of the positions are held by women. Additionally, 42% of critical management roles are also held by female employees. In 2023 19% of promotions and new roles went to women, a clear trajectory towards an equitable workplace. These figures signal the effectiveness of Sercos inclusive policies and wider commitment in bringing the governments national visions to life and impacting a better future. Kharmeh originally joined Sercos Middle East business in 2019, as a regional human resources business partner, before being promoted to regional human resources director a year later. Kharmeh started her career in IT and technology, specialising in programming and network engineering. Before joining Serco, she held leadership positions in previous roles at Kuehne + Nagel and Maersk, representing markets across the region. Kharmeh also holds a Six Sigma Black Belt PMP, a qualification that requires knowledge and expertise in implementing the Six Sigma business strategy and demonstrates the capabilities of the holder to effectively run businesses. This diverse background is highly relevant to her new role, further underpinning her capability to drive forward innovation and maintain quality and consistency in service delivery. Malem said: I congratulate Hana on her promotion to Chief Operations Officer. Hana has been a pivotal part of our success story, expertly leading our people function with dedication and foresight. Her proven leadership skills are true assets to the business, and in her new role Im looking forward to Hana further embedding her innovative mindset and strive for continuous improvement into our culture. Diversity thriving At Serco we are committed to establishing a workplace where diversity thrives and career advancement, regardless of gender, is supported through internal policies and strategy. Hanas journey is a prime example and I hope her promotion is an inspiration to other women, both inside and outside Serco. Kharmeh said: As we continue to invest in our end-to-end capabilities and services, we are strengthening our offering in the region, cementing our role as a trusted partner to governmental organisations. Technology and innovation are at the heart of what we do bringing together the right people, the right technology and the right partners to create innovative solutions that make positive impact and address some of the most urgent and complex challenges facing the modern world. The announcement follows a strong first half of the year for Serco internationally and within the region, which includes continued investments in the regions space sector, as well as the acquisition of sustainability and engineering consultancy, Climatize.--TradeArabia News Service Bahrains Labour Fund Tamkeen has partnered with CRCC Asia, a leading provider of international internship programs in Asia, to offer Bahraini engineering graduates a unique opportunity to upskill, gain international exposure, and develop niche specialisations through high quality internships within CRCC Asia's network of companies in Seoul, South Korea. The collaboration falls within the framework of Tamkeens Global-Ready Talent Program. Under the parnetrship with CRCC Asia, Tamkeen will support the placement of four Bahraini graduates in Korean companies for a period of three months, mainly focusing on Engineering and ICT disciplines. CRCC Asia provides students and graduates from all over the world with opportunities for personal and professional development through organising programs in various places such as China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. The organisation has facilitated training for over 9,000 individuals from more than 100 nations across 18 sectors. CRCC Asia is recognised for its commitment to fostering personal and professional growth on a global scale, a statement said. Tamkeens Chief Growth Officer, Khalid Al Bayat, said: "In line with our core mission to foster Bahraini talent, this partnership represents a step towards realizing our vision of a highly skilled workforce that can compete on an international scale. Our focus is on producing highly qualified talent in engineering field and nurturing forefront ideas. Through initiatives like this, we aim to empower Bahraini youth and contribute to the advancement of key sectors in the Kingdom." To date, Tamkeen has placed many Bahrainis across various sectors, demonstrating its dedication to nurturing local talent and facilitating their professional growth. This initiative aligns with Tamkeens 2024 strategic priorities which focus on economic impact and the private sector. -TradeArabia News Service GE Aerospace and Kratos Turbine Technologies, a division of Kratos Defence & Security Solutions, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to partner on the development and production of small affordable engines. The engines could potentially power unmanned aerial systems (UAS), collaborative combat aircraft, and similar applications. The partnership builds on an existing joint development agreement and includes full-scale engine production. For the last year, GE Aerospace and Kratos have been working together on a small affordable engine. The engine initially was developed and ground tested by Kratos. Under the existing joint agreement, GE Aerospace and Kratos completed additional development efforts and are now conducting tests on the engine. The team plans to continue development on the current engine, which will undergo altitude testing next year at GE Aerospaces test cell in Evendale, Ohio. Evolving mission requirements Amy Gowder, President and CEO, Defence & Systems at GE Aerospace, said: Our defence customers have a growing interest in small affordable engines to meet their evolving mission requirements. Our initial collaboration has been very successful, and this agreement furthers our efforts in this new dynamic military segment. Eric DeMarco, President & CEO of Kratos Defence & Security Solutions, said: Kratos has made significant investments in the development of our family of small, low-cost jet engines for jet powered drones, missiles, and powered munitions that lead in technology and capability. We consider our relationship with GE Aerospace as invaluable based on our expectation and forecast for the potential future production of thousands of turbofan engines for multiple customers. Each company brings unique expertise to the partnership. Kratos has more than 20 years of experience in the development and production of small affordable jet engines for UAS, drones, and missiles. GE Aerospace has more than 100 years of experience in the development and scaling up of high-volume production for jet engine programmes for a seamless transition from development to production.--TradeArabia News Service A UAE economic delegation headed by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, and Chairman of Investopia, is visiting India this week to discuss boosting economic ties. The delegation, which includes Alia bint Abdulla Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, will explore opportunities to forge new partnerships at the government and private sector levels in the fields of logistics, advanced industries, entrepreneurship, SMEs, environment and investment. The visit falls within the framework of the growing economic relations between the two countries, which have witnessed significant development in all aspects of cooperation over the past years, with the unlimited support of both leaderships. New version of Investopia Global Talks in Chennai A new version of Investopia Global Talks will be held in the South Indian city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, during the UAE delegations visit in order to create diverse economic and investment opportunities that support the two countries' vision of expanding sectors and areas of mutual interest. The latest edition of the event will hold three panel discussions on enhancing the prospects for economic, investment and trade cooperation between the UAE and India in light of global economic developments. They will support cooperation between the two countries in the decarbonisation of heavy industries, review recent global trends on investment and trade,as well as promising opportunities for the growth of SMEs. The session titled "Make in the Emirates" will feature Osama Amir Fadel, Associate Deputy Industrial Accelerator Sector, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology; Rola Abu-Mina CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, UAE; and Shakir Zeinel, Head of Banking at Emirates Development Bank. It will highlight the advantages and potential offered by the UAE to investors in the industrial sector, as well as the sectors competitiveness at the regional and global levels. Furthermore, the latest edition of Investopia India will host a roundtable with the participation of government officials, businessmen, and investors from both countries to explore economic, investment, and trade opportunities in the private sector, enabling both Indian and UAE business communities to benefit from it. Over 300 participants, including industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, economic experts, and representatives of leading Emirati and Indian private sector companies are expected to take part in this session. Meetings with Indian ministers and government officials Al Marri will hold several one-on-one meetings with Indian ministers and government officials, including MK Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and Dr TRB Raja, the Minister of Industry, Investment Promotion, and Commerce, in the government of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In addition, the Minister of Economy will visit the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), one of India's premier engineering and technology institutes known for its advanced research facilities and laboratories. IITM actively engages in various cutting-edge research projects. The visit will foster exchange of knowledge and best practices in scientific research, entrepreneurship, startups, FinTech, and AI. will also visit the headquarters of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, gaining insights into the latest advancements fueling the growth of advanced industries, space exploration, and electric vehicles. The visiting UAE delegation includes more than 27 representatives of government entities and national and private companies. These include the Ministry of Investment, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Sharaf Group, Lulu Group International, Emirates Development Bank (EDB), Standard Chartered UAE, GFG Alliance, PGI Group, Wio Bank, and WizzAir Abu Dhabi. In addition, 14 UAE SMEs will showcase their innovative projects before participating investors at the latest Investopia Global Talks.--TradeArabia News Service Meredith Portillo, 20, was killed Sunday in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 37. Courtesy of Cindy Portillo Meredith Portillo, 20, was identified by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office as one of the three people killed in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 37 Sunday. Bexar County Sheriff's Office Meredith Portillo always wanted to work in law enforcement. At the Bexar County jail, where she worked as a detention officer, the staff called her Ms. P. Portillo, 20, was identified by the Bexar County Sheriffs office as one of three killed in a wrong-way crash on Sunday in the 15600 block of Interstate 37 near Southton Road. In a statement released Sunday on Facebook, the sheriffs office said Portillo, an off-duty deputy, was the woman killed in the crash. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We mourn the loss of Deputy Meredith Portillo, 20, who lost her life earlier this morning as a result of a fatal accident involving a suspected wrong-way driver along IH-37 S and Donop Rd in South Bexar County, Sheriff Javier Salazar said in a statement on Facebook. Our prayers are with the Portillo family and everyone who held Deputy Portillo near. READ MORE: Man wanted in connection with death of Kerrville woman arrested in San Antonio According to a preliminary police report, officers received a call about a vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of I-37 at Loop 1604. The vehicle, a Ford F-150, crashed head-on into a Ford Mustang, police said. As of Monday afternoon, the Bexar County Medical Examiners office hadnt identified the three killed in the crash but said the deceased included two men, ages 20 and 28, and a 20-year-old woman. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Portillos mother, Cindy, said her daughter was in the vehicle with two of her close friends from high school. She was returning home after an evening out and was only five minutes away from home when the crash happened, she said. They had went to In-N-Out Burger and went downtown to ride some scooters and then stopped at Voodoo Doughnut, Cindy Portillo said. She was already on her way home. Meredith Portillo was always good at communicating with her mom when she was away from home. She would let her mom know when she was close by and always shared her location. When her mom realized she had not heard from her in awhile, she checked her location and noticed it had not updated in several minutes. Thats when she asked her husband to go check on her. My husband said he would be right back, Cindy Portillo said. He went and he called me to go over there; they had the whole highway blocked off. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The sheriffs office said Meredith Portillo and another passenger in the Mustang were killed on impact. The driver of the F-150 was also killed on impact and another passenger in the vehicle with Portillo remains in critical condition at the hospital. During a Monday news conference, Salazar said the San Antonio Police Department is investigating the crash. Recruited by her brother who also works as a deputy, Portillo began her law enforcement career with Bexar County last September. She graduated from the detention academy in January with ambitions of becoming a patrol officer. She will receive full honors by the sheriffs office and her casket will be draped with the Texas flag, Salazar said. She was very proud to wear the uniform and proud to work here, Salazar said. Cindy Portillo said her daughter was very positive and outgoing, and made an impact on people in her personal and professional life. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She loved what she did. She was very well respected, Cindy Portillo said. She had a lot of friends (at the jail). She touched a lot of people, even inmates to try to motivate them to do better. She was very well loved. Meredith Portillo graduated from Southside High School. She had one sister and two brothers. Siemon, a global leader in network infrastructure solutions, has appointed Trey Somers as its Vice President of Product Management. An industry veteran with over two decades of experience, Somers will lead Siemons global product management team and drive the development of innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the market. He brings a wealth of experience in enterprise product management, OEM product management, and consulting services. Most recently, he served as Managing Director at Align Communications where he successfully led a team delivering smart building solutions to major financial institutions across the globe. "We are thrilled to welcome Trey to the Siemon team," said Henry Siemon, President and CEO. "His deep industry knowledge and proven track record in product management make him an invaluable asset to our organisation. We are confident that under Treys leadership, Siemon will continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions that drive customer success," he stated. In his new role, Somers will oversee both the OEM and Enterprise Product Management teams, combining them into a unified global product management organisation. He will also collaborate closely with the marketing team to align product development with current market needs and developing industry trends. On his new role, Somers said: "I am excited to join the Siemon team and contribute to the companys continued growth and success. "Siemon has a strong reputation for innovation and customer focus. I look forward to working with the team to develop groundbreaking solutions that address the challenges and opportunities of todays dynamic market," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Bahrain's Labour Fund Tamkeen has partnered with CRCC Asia, a leading provider of international internship programs in Asia, to offer Bahraini engineering graduates a unique opportunity to upskill, gain international exposure, and develop niche specializations through high quality internships within CRCC Asia's network of companies in Seoul, South Korea. CRCC Asia provides students and graduates from all over the world with opportunities for personal and professional development through tailored programs in China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. Having facilitated training for over 9,000 individuals from more than 100 nations across 18 sectors, CRCC Asia is recognized for its commitment to fostering personal and professional growth on a global scale. The collaboration falls within the framework of the Global-Ready Talent Program and is Tamkeens first step in the Korean market, said a top official. "In line with our core mission to foster Bahraini talent, this partnership represents a step towards realizing our vision of a highly skilled workforce that can compete on an international scale. Our focus is on producing highly qualified talent in the engineering field and nurturing forefront ideas," remarked Tamkeens Chief Growth Officer, Khalid Al Bayat. "Through initiatives like this, we aim to empower Bahraini youth and contribute to the advancement of key sectors in the kingdom," he stated. Under this deal, Tamkeen will support the placement of four Bahraini graduates in Korean companies for a period of three months, mainly focusing on Engineering and ICT disciplines. To date, Tamkeen has successfully placed many Bahrainis across various sectors, demonstrating its dedication to nurturing local talent and facilitating their professional growth. This initiative is aligned with Tamkeens 2024 strategic priorities focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars; increasing economic participation through new employment opportunities for new entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity and adoption of technology.-TradeArabia News Service Infinity Power and the Government of Sierra Leone represented by the Ministry of Energy have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop 1GW of renewable energy capacity in Sierra Leone by 2033. The MoU outlines a phased approach to the project, focusing on expanding the country's electricity generation and supply infrastructure. The signing ceremony, held at State House in Freetown, marks a significant step towards Sierra Leone's commitment to sustainable energy and economic development. The project may include solar PV, floating PV solar, hydro, battery storage, and wind. It aims to improve energy access, create jobs, and support the countrys environmental goals. Close collaboration Infinity Power will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Energy to conduct feasibility studies, secure necessary permits, and finalise Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA). This will involve the development of 200MW of renewable energy generation, expanding hydroelectric dam capacity and installing both floating and ground-mounted solar PV systems. Mohamed Ismail Mansour, Chairman of Infinity Power, said: "This partnership underscores our continued dedication to strengthening the supply of sustainable energy across Africa, contributing to a bright energy future for Sierra Leone." Nayer Fouad, CEO of Infinity Power, adds: "Collaborating with Sierra Leones Ministry of Energy will showcase the transformative power of renewable energy in driving socio-economic change. Ahmed Mulla, Deputy CEO of Infinity Power, expressed his optimism about the partnership, stating, "This MoU represents a crucial milestone in our shared vision for a sustainable future. We are committed to working with the Government of Sierra Leone to deliver this ambitious project and contribute to the nation's energy security and economic growth." Transforming Sierra Leone The Ministry of Energy reaffirmed its support for the initiative, highlighting the project's potential to transform the energy landscape of Sierra Leone. The Ministry will provide all necessary support to facilitate the successful implementation of the project. Our mandate is simple: prioritise the expansion of our energy infrastructure by integrating renewable energy sources and enhance sector reforms to continue attracting investments. Thus, we are excited to partner with Infinity Power and look forward to our work ahead in the coming months and years, said Dr Eldred Tunde Taylor, Deputy Minister of Energy. At Sierra Leones First National Climate Dialogue and Energy Transition Dialogue held in Oct 2023 and organised by the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF), President Bio underscored his governments plan to target an investment for a 1-gigawatt (GW) generation capacity over the next 10-15 years which would then allow Sierra Leone to trade energy with her neighbours. Energy sector reforms Given their work in Africa, experience and goals for the continent, Infinity Power is poised to help meet President Bios vision for the country earlier than originally envisaged. The deep energy sector reforms taking place are beginning to pay dividends and we at PI-CREF will continue to play our catalytic role in bringing diverse partners with our MDAs through strategic coordination and policy coherence, underscored Dr Kandeh Yumkella. Yumkella leads the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF).--TradeArabia News Service The General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia (GACA) is set to showcase its aviation and investment opportunities to the British industry captains at the Farnborough International Airshow, which opens its doors today (July 22). The event, which runs until July 26, offers a global platform for GACA to update the industry on the progress of the Saudi Aviation Strategy, build bilateral relationships and commercial partnerships with the United Kingdom, and promote GACAs regulatory reforms to enable growth and innovation in Saudi Arabia. The Farnborough International Airshow 2024 is expected to attract around 75,000 visitors from 102 countries, with 250 civil, military, and space delegations. The Saudi delegation, headed by President, Abdulaziz Al Duailej, will be attending the Airshow and a host of other industry events during the UK visit. A key highlight will be the inaugural UK-Saudi Aviation High Level Roundtable on July 24 for showcasing aviation and investment opportunities to the British aviation industry, hosted in partnership with the The Saudi British Joint Business Council UK. The roundtable will feature presentations from GACA, the UK Department of Transport, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, Ministry of Investment and Saudi airport sector. Al Duailej said: "We are excited to share Saudi Arabias unprecedented opportunities with the aviation world, and the Kingdoms vision for the future of global aviation. We strongly believe that the United Kingdoms expertise in aviation and infrastructure and the Saudi Aviation Strategys growth agenda will create significant commercial opportunities, building on the strong aviation ties between both countries." The Saudi aviation sector, he stated, was undergoing significant transformation through the implementation of the Saudi Aviation Strategy, with 2024 representing a record-breaking year for passengers and flights in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia saw the number of passengers surge 17% between January and June to a record 62 million, with flights increasing 12% to 446,000, well above pre-pandemic levels. In addition, GACA has introduced major economic policy reforms, a general aviation roadmap and pioneered new Advanced Air Mobility regulations to enable growth and innovation in the Kingdoms aviation sector.-TradeArabia News Service Dubai-based flydubai has announced that its expansion plans have been significantly impacted by Boeings latest update regarding ongoing delays in its aircraft delivery schedule. The carrier is currently evaluating its route development plans and potential frequency revision across the network due to a lack of new aircraft deliveries over the next few months. "flydubai urges Boeing to honour and renew its commitment to meet its delivery obligations," a statement said. Commenting on the ongoing delays, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: We are extremely disappointed to learn that Boeing will not be able to fulfil its commitment to deliver more aircraft for the remainder of the year. Boeings short-noticed and frequent delivery schedule revisions have hindered our strategic growth plans resulting in significant disruptions to our published schedules. The reduced capacity will ultimately affect our customers as well as our projected financial performance. flydubai has always valued its longstanding partnership with Boeing and both airline and the manufacturer have been resilient and agile in tackling challenges over the years. We urge Boeing to take immediate action and implement measures to stabilise its production and delivery processes to avoid further delays while upholding the highest standards. We look forward to a swift resolution of this issue, added Al Ghaith. The unpredictability of the aircraft delivery schedules from Boeing over the past few years has put significant pressure on the carrier and its ability to firmly plan for its projected growth, especially as it geared up to meet the strong demand for travel after the pandemic, the airline said. flydubais plans for this year were initially based on the commitment to receive 14 new aircraft. The carrier continues to explore all possible avenues to mitigate the impact of these delivery delays, it said. Fewer aircraft delivered annually flydubai operates a single fleet-type of 88 Boeing 737 aircraft and includes: 29 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800, 56 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 03 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. Ongoing challenges with Boeings delivery schedule resulted in fewer aircraft being delivered every year for the past three years. Multiple revisions of the delivery schedule for 2024 meant that Boeing will not deliver the 14 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft originally scheduled for the year. The aircraft delivered in the first half of the year were from the backlog of previous years and faced extensive delays. flydubai has more than 125 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on order to be delivered over the next decade, it said. Operational and cost implications flydubais strategic growth plans, which rely heavily on the timely addition of new aircraft to the fleet, have been significantly impacted by ongoing Boeing aircraft delivery delays, the airline pointed out. "To mitigate the delays in aircraft deliveries and to meet the surge in demand for travel and add capacity, particularly during peak travel periods, flydubai had to enter Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) agreements," it said. The carrier has also extended the lease on some of the aircraft which were scheduled to be returned to the lessors under its Sale and Leaseback agreements, which has led to the airline incurring further costs. In addition to these measures, flydubai has invested in an extensive retrofit programme for its fleet of Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft to ensure a more consistent onboard experience for its passengers and to align the cabin product in the absence of new aircraft joining the fleet for the remainder of the year. "Fewer aircraft being delivered this year has added pressure on flydubais fleet utilisation. With six new routes scheduled to launch over the next few months, the airline is currently reviewing its schedule and frequency of operations across its network due to restrictions in aircraft availability," the statement said. Over its 15 years of operations, flydubai has emerged as one of the key players in the aviation industry in the UAE and the region, building a strong diverse network and opening up underserved markets. flydubai is the largest operator of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the Middle East and GCC and its growing fleet has supported its ambitious growth plans over the years. Boeings ability to meet its contractual aircraft delivery commitments to the carrier has been crucial to realising these growth plans. -TradeArabia News Service Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africas first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, on Monday announced the launch of its non-stop flights between Sharjah and the idyllic island of Maldives. The new flights between Sharjah International Airport and Velana International Airport in Mali will operate daily, starting October 27, 2024, providing travellers with even more convenient and affordable options to explore one of the most famous destinations in South Asia. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, stated: "We are delighted to add this enchanting holiday destination to our expanding network. The launch of our non-stop flights to the Maldives highlights our commitment to offering our customers more travel options and connecting them to some of the world's most breathtaking locations." He added: "This addition to our route network from Sharjah reaffirms our commitment to providing seamless connectivity and value driven air travel to our passengers." The Maldives, a tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its pristine white-sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and vibrant marine life. Whether exploring vibrant coral reefs or relaxing on sun-drenched beaches, the Maldives provides an unparalleled escape in one of the world's most breathtaking settings. Air Arabia operates a fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, the most modern and best-selling single aisle aircraft in the world, the airline said. - TradeArabia News Service The Wyoming Supreme Court on Monday announced the disbarment of Nick Beduhn, who practiced law in Buffalo. According to a press release from the Wyoming State Bar, Beduhn filed a lawsuit in federal court, but after filing, he had no further contact with his clients and took no further action in the case. Beduhn similarly failed to respond to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that addressed what the lawsuit was about, the press release says. According to the announcement, Beduhn didnt dismiss the case, but also didnt respond to motions filed against him or his clients. And, when the lawsuit was dismissed, he failed to pay the opposing parties attorneys fees as ordered; he didnt tell his clients the lawsuit was dismissed; and he didnt respond to multiple complaints despite repeated requests. The release further states he did not participate in the case until the sanction hearing. As the attorney of record, Beduhn represented health care workers in a case against Cheyenne Regional Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Converse County for their anticipated compliance with the coronavirus vaccine mandate, the official disbarment says. The lawsuit was filed in 2021. However, the ruling in Biden v. Missouri pertained directly to what the lawsuit would have done it did not allow Medicare and Medicaid facilities to enforce vaccine mandates effectively shutting the lawsuit down. Beduhns disbarment is effective retroactively on Nov. 2, 2022, which is when the Wyoming Supreme Court ordered that he be immediately suspended. His conduct, the press release says, violated eight rules of the Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct. Beduhn must pay $1,435.14 to the Wyoming State Bar. This is not Beduhns first time being disciplined by the state bar. He was suspended from practicing for two years in August 2017, and then suspended again in November of that year. Those suspensions ran consecutively. Though reinstated in January 2021, he was suspended once more in November 2022. The use of force, including assassination and other forms of lethal political violence, as a means of altering governmental regimes and political systems tyrannicide, regicide and revolution was part of the warp and woof of ancient politics and a central concern to the Framers of the Constitution. America, after all, was founded on revolution. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention, therefore, sought to create a republic sufficiently responsive to the will of the people to facilitate peaceful political reforms, which would eliminate the perceived need to resort to violence, the dark side of politics, to make changes. John Adams, a child of the Enlightenment and with Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, part of the Holy Trinity of the founding era, spoke for his generation when he declared, tyranny begins when frequent elections end. Thus, the Framers provided for frequent elections at regular intervals, which empowered voters to create plans and campaigns to usher in peaceful change when they thought it was required. Franklin explained to the Constitutional Convention that the power to impeach an errant president was necessary; otherwise, there would be no recourse but to assassination. Jefferson asserted that government officials should be bound by the chains of the Constitution, precisely because those who wielded power were eyed suspiciously. James Madison, Father of the Constitution, wrote eloquently in The Federalist Papers of the various ways that checks and balances would restrain officials and encourage adherence to the will of the people. The Framers assertions, moreover, that a president would be amenable to the judicial process and the provisions of the criminal justice system, aimed to alleviate the fear that they had created an embryonic monarchy, which would have placed the president above the law. In sum, those who founded our nation and wrote the Constitution, keenly aware of the destructive capacity of violence as a weapon for undermining and, indeed, destroying democracy, sought at every turn to signal to American citizens that the system they designed had rendered obsolete the need to use force to make political and policy changes. And yet, after nearly 250 years of constitutional governance, in the wake of a Civil War, the unforgivable treatment of Native Americans and Black Americans, an insurrection on January 6, 2021, not to mention the fact that of the 22 men who have served in the White House from 1900-2024, eight have been the victims of assault, we bear witness to the perpetuation of violence as a weapon of political change. Political violence is the scourge of democracy, a system grounded on the consent of the governed, propelled by reasoned discussion and debate undergirded by truths, facts and evidence. Violence, including assassination, undermines the democratic predicate of compromise and peaceful transitions of power, based on the premise that half a loaf is better than none. Democracy requires acceptance of electoral results, without which the country descends into a deep spiral of chaos and interminable violence. As of this writing, we dont have an explanation of the motives of the shooter who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, whether politically inspired or the work of someone who had been bullied throughout life and sought recognition, but the outrageous act may well affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential race. Previous assaults on presidents and presidential candidates have left a big footprint on Americas electoral history. President Richard M. Nixon acknowledged that he could not have defeated Robert F. Kennedy in the 1968 presidential election. American history changed because Kennedy was assassinated. If John Wilkes Booth had not murdered President Abraham Lincoln, our Poet President likely could have facilitated the recovery of the nation torn apart by the Civil War, through a forgiving spirit and genuine enforcement of the Reconstruction Acts, rather than their disregard by his successor, Andrew Johnson. In a nation deeply polarized by political differences, it is imperative for citizens to reject violence as a justifiable means to an end. Such assertions represent a complete rejection of democratic principles and values, and certainly are not the hallmark of a patriot. At this juncture in American politics, political leaders bear the responsibility to tone down their rhetoric, abandon reckless and false claims that may inspire violence and, above all, they absolutely must declare, publicly, their own opposition to the use of force. Responsible leadership requires it. Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Mullin seen with Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert at the Commissioners Court celebrating the World War II veteran's 100th birthday. Mullin recently was inducted into the French Legion of Honor in recognition for his military service and his part in the United States' liberation of France during WWII. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Holler Valerie Baraban, Consul General of France in Houston, pictured left, stands with Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert and Brig. Gen. Russell D. Driggers at a July 3 ceremony at Fort Sam Houston honoring retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Mullin. The veteran was inducted as a "Chevalier" of the French Legion of Honor. The French government honored Mullin for his contribution as a member of the Red Ball Express that played a vital role in the liberation of France during World War II. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Mallard/USAF Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Mullin gathers regularly with friends at a Golden Corral restaurant ,where he receives free lunches for his service. Photo courtesy of John Welch, USMC, Retired In 1942, Gerald Mullin enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Sam Houston to serve his country during World War II. His unit landed in France, on Normandy Beach, before dwindling supplies brought the Third Army and First Army to a standstill. Mullin served as a platoon commander of the Red Ball Express, a convoy of 6,000, 2-ton trucks that delivered ammunition, food, medical supplies and gasoline to troops on the front lines. From late August to November of 1944, the convoy ran 24 hours a day. Seventy-three percent of its drivers, like Mullin, were African American. Snipers, mud and land mines were the convoys greatest threats. German Luftwaffe planes strafed the roads from the air. Trucks, painted with a red, round disc, rumbled around wrecked vehicles on narrow pathways. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Like many of the greatest generation, Mullin never shared details about the war. He never talked about driving dark, one-way roads scattered with the dead. He never spoke of how his unit was with Allied Forces that rescued Jewish victims from Nazi concentration camps. In May, by decree of French President Emmanuel Macron, Mullin was nominated as a Chevalier (knight) of the Legion of Honor for his part in the United States' liberation of France during WWII. About the author A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Vincent T. Davis embarked on a second career as a journalist and found his calling. Observing and listening across San Antonio, he finds intriguing tales to tell about everyday people. He shares his stories with Express-News subscribers every Monday morning. Before the July Fourth holiday, more than 50 people gathered at the Fort Sam Houston Theater to honor retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Mullins induction into the French Legion of Honor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The award was created in 1802 by French military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize esteemed merit and services rendered by civilians and soldiers while serving in France. According to the Library of Congress, 171 African Americans were awarded the French Legion of Honor during World War I. Friends, active duty military, veterans and dignitaries attended the ceremony for the 100-year-old WWII veteran, who was unable to attend because of health concerns. The ceremony continued with Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert and Air Force Brig. Gen. Russell D. Driggers welcoming Valerie Baraban, who serves as consul general of France in Houston. Mullins service with the Red Ball Express was among his work highlighted at the ceremony. The term Red Ball originated as far back as the 19th century to identify express rail car cargo, said Vincent Hodge, 502nd Air Base Wing historian. He said convoys of 20 vehicles, driving 25 miles per hour, hauled more than 400,000 tons of supplies at a rate of 5,000 tons a day. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Supreme Allied Commander (Europe) Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower stated that the Red Ball Express was Americas lifeline, Hodge said, adding the commander later thanked the convoy workers for their service. At the recent ceremony, Baraban expressed Frances gratitude, recalling how Mullin and his unit delivered critical supplies to Gen. George Pattons forces while exposed to combat during the Battle of the Bulge, WWIIs largest and bloodiest battle. You have set an example, which we will never forget, Baraban said, as she inducted Mullin into the prestigious order. France will never forget the troops who landed on D-Day and all their brothers in arms. Your constant selflessness and devotion both guide us and serve us as our duty. The audience applauded as the consul general displayed the medal of Frances highest and prestigious honor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Veterans lined the front row of the theater in support of the friend they call Moon. Retired Marine Maj. John Welch spoke highly of Mullin, who still drives himself to the Golden Corral Buffet Restaurant on the Northeast Side for lunch with comrades. Welch, of American Legion Fred Brock Post No. 828, said hes proud of Mullins service and to call him his friend. He doesnt receive attention well, but he deserves all that he gets, Welch said. Congregation members from Jacobs Chapel United Methodist Church, Dr. Doris Williams and Elenor Wilson, nodded their heads in agreement. Both women said Mullin, a fellow congregation member, is an unassuming man with a keen sense of humor who doesnt gloat. The extent of what we heard today is not what hes shared with us, Williams said. I love him dearly. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wilson, who has known Mullin most of her life, said its an honor to know someone who has lived through a historic event such as D-Day. As those gathered heard, Mullins accomplishments go far beyond the events of WWII. Mullin served 24 more years in the Army following the war. His citations and decorations include the African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Stars, World War II Victory Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. Driggers thanked Mullin, who served during a time when Black men and women were limited to service positions in the military. They served because its not about our nation as it is, but what it can be, he said. The last year of WWII saw mounting losses among white troops that resulted in the government pressing the Tuskegee Airmen and the 761st Tank Battalion (Black Panthers) into action. However, the heroic Black troops returned home to racism and discrimination. Today, not unlike what happened many years ago in the fields of France, our very freedoms are under attack in very real, dangerous ways, Driggers said. It takes the exertions of our service members, our allies, our partners to fight for these freedoms because theyre worth fighting for. Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, who organized the July 3 ceremony, read a letter from President Joe Biden thanking the veteran for answering his nations call. The commissioner said Mullin will also receive the Hidalgo Award, Bexar Countys highest honor. Calvert has known Mullin for 35 years. His knowledge of Mullin is as a trustee of Jacobs Chapel United Methodist Church and as treasurer of Neighborhoods First Alliance, a community focused nonprofit run by Calverts father. The group has helped fight crime and appealed for drainage and street projects, among other community work. President Joe Biden announced Sunday he is dropping his re-election bid, making him the first president since Texan Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to opt against running for reelection. Susan Walsh/Associated Press After mounting pressure from Democrats to end his reelection bid, President Joe Biden announced Sunday his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. The president shared in a social media post on Sunday that he is stepping away from the campaign trail and backing Vice President Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee. State and local political leaders flooded X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, with responses to the announcement making Biden the first president since Texan Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to opt against running for reelection. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to respond to the president's statement, writing online that the June debate appears to have been a set up to force Biden to step aside. I think I will need to triple the border wall, razor wire barriers and National Guard on the border, he wrote regarding Bidens endorsement of Harris. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sen. John Cornyn echoed the sentiment, also referring to Harris as Bidens border czar and writing that under her leadership, criminals and terrorists stream across our wide-open border and fentanyl continues to kill thousands of innocent Americans. Kamala Harris is even more radical, more extreme and less competent than Joe Biden, he wrote, adding that Biden should also resign as president if hes not competent to run for reelection. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Biden will be remembered as one of the most transformational leaders in our nations history as well as a true friend to the working families of San Antonio. Nirenberg has continued to show loyalty to the president in recent weeks as panicked Democratic lawmakers and other party insiders called for his withdrawal from the race. Advertisement Article continues below this ad FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about the end of the war in Afghanistan from the State Dining Room of the White House, on Aug. 31, 2021, in Washington. In the ensuing two years following the pandemic, as inflation slowed but persisted, the confidence Biden hoped to instill steadily waned. And when he showed his age in a disastrous debate in June against Donald Trump, he lost the benefit of the doubt as well. That gave him the legacy of having built the legislative scaffolding of a renewed America without convincing voters that better days were ahead. Evan Vucci/AP Mayor Ron Nirenberg delivers one of his last State of the City addresses at a luncheon hosted by the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce at Marriott Rivercenter on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 in San Antonio. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News In his post on X, Nirenberg highlighted Bidens impact on San Antonio, writing that nearly 65,000 residents were able to stay in their homes during the pandemic because of his leadership. He cited the presidents efforts to improve infrastructure, fight climate change and create jobs, adding his willingness to stand up to special interests and cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month is a literal lifesaver in a city where 1 out of 6 are diabetic. He also noted Bidens presence in Uvalde after the May 24, 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. He took the slings and arrows that come from stepping into the arena and throughout it all reminded us that strength of character matters, Nirenberg wrote. Ill be forever proud to call him a partner and a friend. RELATED: 2024 Election Latest: Biden ends his reelection bid Advertisement Article continues below this ad Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro echoed the sentiment, sharing with his followers on X that Biden deserves enormous credit for bringing the nation back from Covid, reinvigorating our economy, moving us forward to address climate change, among many other accomplishments. Hes been an excellent president, Castro wrote. And today, hes shown [that] hes a true statesman. Castro also noted Republicans will not succeed in keeping the new Democratic nominee off the November ballot because there is no basis for any legal challenge. Texas Sen. Roland Gutierrez thanked Biden for his service, also applauding his response to the Uvalde tragedy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ill never forget that Joe Biden came to Uvalde immediately after the Robb massacre and acted swiftly to establish the Office of Gun Violence Prevention to end all the needless gun deaths in our country, he wrote. In a statement released Sunday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro expressed support for Biden's decision and said he looks forward to working to elect Harris as the next president. Castro said the Biden-Harris administration "rescued our country from the worst pandemic in a century, launched a renaissance in American manufacturing and made unprecedented progress to lower drug prices, support America's veterans and curb gun violence. "In a critical moment, President Biden restored America's place as the leader of the free world," Castro said. "He will be remembered as one of the most accomplished presidents in our history." U.S. Rep. Greg Casar also sent a statement thanking Biden for his service. He united Democrats to save our democracy from Trump and our economy from COVID, he wrote. He stood up to corporations and protected workers like no other president in my lifetime. Attorney General Ken Paxton, a close political ally of Trump, kept his commentary short: Trump for the Win! So did Sen. Ted Cruz, who posted a cryptic photo of former president Richard Nixon in reaction to the announcement. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, on the other hand, made use of his premium character limit on the social media platform to call out former President Barack Obama, writing that the June debate was a hit job on Biden by his own party. Thousands flocked to a coastal town in western Indonesia Sunday to watch a clash between ornate mythical effigies before they are cast into the sea, in a centuries-old ritual born from a Shiite holy day of mourning. Dozens of men paraded the two winged, horse-shaped effigies across the town of Pariaman on Sumatra island, bringing traffic to a halt in the city centre as the festival known as Tabuik got under way. The 12-metre-high effigies were shaken and deliberately knocked into one another as they were brought to a nearby beach before being toppled into the surf to the backing track of a traditional band. Though the festival has its roots in the Muslim holy day of Ashura -- when Shiites mourn the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad -- visitor Riko Putra, 38, found the Tabuik festivities "exciting". "From what I saw on the beach... it was more like a euphoria, like welcoming a victory," Riko told AFP. The origins of the festival were imported to western Indonesia by Shiite Muslim soldiers from India under British rule in the 19th century. The ritual dramatises in the abstract the battle of Karbala in modern-day Iraq, where Imam Hussein and his retinue were killed by a larger army. The effigies are shaped like Buraq, a winged horse-like creature often depicted with a human head believed to have picked up Hussein's remains after the 7th-century battle and carried them to heaven. Shiite persecution Once a more traditionally Shiite custom, Tabuik drew protests from predominantly Sunni Muslim locals, prompting organisers to alter the celebrations to better suit local mores, procession organiser Zulbakri, who goes by one name, told AFP. "In the past, there were these rituals... rituals identical with the Shiites' worship. That was why it was changed into the procession," he said. "Because it was not in line with the customs and philosophies of the (local) people, the form of Tabuik was completely changed." The festival's main event -- the effigy parade and their casting into the sea -- was once held on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, coinciding with the holy day of Ashura, which holds different significance to Shiites and Sunnis. But like the celebration itself, the date has also changed so the festival simply falls on a weekend within that month -- which also helps draw visitors, Zulbakri said. Shiites and Sunnis agree on the fundamentals of the faith, but the two branches split because of a centuries-old divide over who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad. Shiite Islam is not one of Indonesia's six official religions, but around one million practitioners live in the country, and while attacks on the community are rare, adherents have faced persecution. As it shed its explicitly Shiite roots, Tabuik now brings in tourists from across Indonesia and abroad, and is one of the main attractions in the town. The leaders of many countries and territories have expressed their grief over the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, recalling memories with the Vietnamese leader and expressing their admiration for him. As of Sunday, leaders of states, governments, parliaments, and political parties of 22 countries as well as international organizations have sent telegrams and letters of condolence to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Vietnamese State President To Lam, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, the Vietnamese people, and the family of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. In his message, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam said that he always keeps the image of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Trong as a warm and steadfast friend with good memories in their meetings, especially the meeting on the occasion of the two countries upgrading their relations to a comprehensive partnership during his visit to Vietnam in 2019. The sultan affirmed the important contributions of the late general secretary to strengthening the two countries relations, noting that his enormous devotion to Vietnam's socio-economic development is a lasting legacy. Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam (L) and Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong wave at Vietnamese children during the formers visit to Vietnam in 2019. Photo: Vietnam News Agency Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed their admiration for Party General Secretary Trongs important contributions over decades to the Party and the nation. During the 13 years of serving as the Party general secretary, he contributed significantly to Vietnams economic growth, improving people's lives. The Singaporean leaders said that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs absolute priority for Party building and anti-corruption not only creates his leadership style but also gives important directions for the reform and strengthening of the Party and the state of Vietnam. The Singaporean leaders asserted that the Vietnamese Party chief was a close friend of Singapore, who made many important contributions and laid the foundation for the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries in 2013, deepening bilateral relations and paving the way for upgrading the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in the near future. Meanwhile, King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn praised the prestige of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, recognizing him as a leader who earned the trust of the Vietnamese people and international respect. He also acknowledged Trong's significant role in Vietnams nation-building, renewal, development, and stability. Chairman of the Mongolian People's Party and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene wrote in his letter that the Mongolian People's Party always remembers the contributions of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to developing the relations and strengthening the friendship and comradeship between the two peoples and two Parties. In his condolences, King Charles III of the United Kingdom hoped the Vietnamese people would be strong and steadfast in this difficult time. The king recalled his impressions and memories with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during the latters visit to the UK in 2013. Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (L) meets with Crown Prince Charles, who is now King Charles III of the United Kingdom, during the formers visit to the UK in 2013. Photo: PA Images He also expressed his appreciation for the Vietnamese leaders devotion to the Vietnamese people as well as his leadership role in promoting Vietnam's close relations with other countries through the 'bamboo diplomacy' policy. President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro affirmed that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a great friend of Venezuela, a tireless soldier fighting for the nation, and an intellectual torch for Vietnam's great changes. President Maduro reiterated the solidarity with the Vietnamese people, saying that the two countries' peoples will always unite and cooperate with each other. Vice President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela Diosdado Cabello also sent a telegram of condolence to the CPV Central Committee and the Vietnamese people. Moreover, King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud extended their condolences to Vietnam. The Southeast Asian country also received condolences from the President of Belarus, the Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, and the head of the 'White Russia' Party of Belarus; the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran; the President of Kazakhstan; the ASEAN Secretary-General; the President of Tanzania; the President of Burundi; the President of the Indian National Congress; and the National Secretary of the French Communist Party. Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) shakes hands with Chairman of the United Russia Party Dmitry Medvedev in Vietnam in May 2023. Photo: Vietnam News Agency Various leaders of Russian parties, including Chairman of the United Russia Party Dmitry Medvedev, Head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Genadi Ziuganov, and Chairman of the Socialist Political Party 'A Just Russia - Patriots - For the Truth' Sergey Mironov, also voiced their grief over the passing of the Vietnamese Party leader. Leaders of parties in India, Japan, Spain, Ireland, South Africa, Brazil, Switzerland, Uruguay, Bolivia, and others have extended their condolences as well. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Peru Domingo Cabrera Toro, and Head of the Department of International Relations of the Workers' Party of Belgium Bert De Belder sent their messages and letters of condolence to Le Hoai Trung, head of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for External Relations. Vietnams Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong passed away at 1:38 pm on July 19 in Hanoi, Nhan Dan (People) newspaper cited information from the Central Committee on Health Care for Senior Governmental Officials. The Party chief drew his last breath at 108 Military Central Hospital despite the efforts of leading doctors and healthcare experts to treat his serious illness. General Secretary Trong was born in 1944. A state funeral for General Secretary Trong will be held at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi on July 25 and July 26. A burial service for the Party chief will take place from 3:00 pm on July 26 at Mai Dich Cemetery in Hanoi. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnam Airlines flight was delayed at Da Nang International Airport in Da Nang City, central Vietnam on Sunday afternoon after a passenger claimed that a grenade was in their baggage. The incident took place on the Ho Chi Minh City-bound flight VN 131, initially scheduled to take off at 3:25 pm. After the passenger Nguyen Thanh Ph., whose seat was 28A, uttered the phrase 'grenade in the suitcase,' a crew member immediately alerted the airports aviation security center at 3:15 pm. A team of airport agencies rushed to the scene to get the passengers deplaned and conduct a thorough search of the aircraft and all of the passengers baggage from 4:10 pm to 4:40 pm, but they did not find any suspicious objects. At around 4:45 pm, the Middle Airports Authority agreed with a representative of Vietnam Airlines on allowing the passengers to return to the plane. The flight departed at 5:15 pm the same day. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thanh Ph. was handed over to the Middle Airports Authority for further steps. As per Vietnam's Decree 162/2018 stipulating administrative fines in the civil aviation sector, one will be fined VND3-5 million (US$117-196) for spreading or providing false information linked to guns, bullets, mines, explosives, radioactive substances, biological and chemical weapons but their acts do not affect the normal operations of civil aviation. Fines ranging between VND15 million ($589) and VND20 million ($785) will be imposed on those who make similar claims that affect normal operations of the sector. If their claims threaten the safety of a flying aircraft and passengers on board, they will face fines of between VND20 million and VND30 million ($1,177). According to the Vietnamese governments Decree 92/2015, disruptive passengers will be subject to a flight ban over a course of 3-12 months for making threats related to bombs, mines, explosives, radioactive substances, and biological weapons while conducting flight procedures and boarding a plane. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The groundbreaking ceremony for a project to expand the apron of Dong Hoi Airport in Quang Binh Province, north-central Vietnam, originally scheduled for Monday, has been canceled, with its organizing funds donated to the provincial Study Promotion Fund, according to Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV). The ACV, the project investor, announced last Saturday that it had agreed with the Quang Binh administration to cancel the groundbreaking ceremony for the apron expansion project, which is a component of the master plan for the construction of the second passenger terminal (T2 terminal) and expansion of the apron area at Dong Hoi Airport, located in the provinces namesake city. The cancelation was made for a special reason, according to reports from Quang Binh online newspaper, Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper, and other media sources, citing the ACV. The ACV and the provincial authorities have also agreed to donate the entire funds intended for the ceremony to the provincial Study Promotion Fund to support local students. As part of the master plan with a total investment of VND1,844 billion (US$72.5 million), the apron expansion project will add four more aircraft parking spots, increasing the total to eight upon its completion in the first quarter of 2025, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Meanwhile, the construction of the T2 terminal is set to begin in the third quarter of this year and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026, with an initial capacity to serve three million passengers annually. According to VnEconomy, the existing terminal at Dong Hoi Airport, designed to handle 500,000 passengers annually, is currently overloaded, having accommodated 750,000 passengers last year. The ACV stated that it will proactively advance the master project to ensure that progress remains on schedule. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, center, speaks to reporters about President Joe Bidens decision to withdraw from the presidential race Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Cruz also spoke about Colin Allred; a Democratic candidate who is running against Cruz for his senate seat. State Rep. Charles Cunningham, right, whose district includes parts of northern Harris County, and Harris County Republican Party County Chair Cindy Siegel, left, also spoke. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, center, speaks to reporters about President Joe Bidens decision to withdraw from the presidential race Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Cruz also spoke about Colin Allred; a Democratic candidate who is running against Cruz for his senate seat. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Harris County Republican Party County Chair Cindy Siegel speaks to reporters Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, right, also spoke. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Harris County Republican Party County Chair Cindy Siegel, center, speaks to reporters Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, right, and State Rep. Charles Cunningham, center, whose district includes parts of northern Harris County, also spoke. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to reporters about President Joe Bidens decision to withdraw from the presidential race Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Cruz also spoke about Colin Allred; a Democratic candidate who is running against Cruz for his senate seat. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer State Rep. Charles Cunningham, center, whose district includes parts of northern Harris County, speaks to reporters Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, right, and Harris County Republican Party County Chair Cindy Siegel also spoke. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer State Rep. Charles Cunningham, right, whose district includes parts of northern Harris County, speaks to reporters with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to reporters about President Joe Bidens decision to withdraw from the presidential race Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Cruz also spoke about Colin Allred; a Democratic candidate who is running against Cruz for his senate seat. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, center, speaks to reporters about President Joe Bidens decision to withdraw from the presidential race Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Cruz also spoke about Colin Allred; a Democratic candidate who is running against Cruz for his senate seat. State Rep. Charles Cunningham, right, whose district includes parts of northern Harris County, and Harris County Republican Party County Chair Cindy Siegel, left, also spoke. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, center, speaks to reporters about President Joe Bidens decision to withdraw from the presidential race Monday, July 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Harris County Republican Party in Houston. Cruz also spoke about Colin Allred; a Democratic candidate who is running against Cruz for his senate seat. State Rep. Charles Cunningham, right, whose district includes parts of northern Harris County, and Harris County Republican Party County Chair Cindy Siegel, left, also spoke. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said President Joe Bidens decision to drop his reelection bid is an attempt to throw off Republican Party unity ahead of the November election and to put attention on whatever very boring white guy Kamala Harris might pick as a running mate. Understand this was the plan, Cruz said Monday at the Harris County Republican Party headquarters in Spring Valley Village in his first public appearance since Biden exited the race. The Democrat Party is cynical, but they're also savvy. There is a reason they did this right after the Republican convention. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Over the weekend, Biden bowed out and endorsed Harris, his vice president, as his successor. Since then, a parade of big-name Democrats have thrown their support behind Harris, including a growing number of Texas delegates. The party will officially choose the nominee at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. Cruz accused Democrats of knowing all along that Bidens condition was worsening. The Republican, who is facing his own competitive reelection bid against Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and is trying to make immigration a major wedge issue, also accused Harris for being responsible for chaos at the states southern border by ignoring the issue altogether. Migrant crossings surged to their highest levels late last year but have dropped off in recent months. Cruz noted Allred didnt call for Biden to step away from the presidential race and inaccurately said the Democrat has not commented publicly about Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl from Houston who was killed last month. Two men, both of them Venezuelan nationals, have been arrested for capital murder in connection with Jocelyns death. JOCELYN NUNGARAY: What to know about the death of the Houston girl Advertisement Article continues below this ad Earlier this month, Allred told the Texas Tribune: Jocelyns murder was a tragedy, and I can't think of anything more shameful than someone like Ted Cruz attempting to use that as a political attack. Public polling shows Cruz leading Allred by a small margin. He said he didnt expect Bidens departure to affect the intensity of his race against Allred. On Sunday, Allred thanked Biden for his service and his willingness to put country before self in a post on social media. He did not endorse Harris or anyone else. My sincere hope is that this moment brings our nation one step closer to healing, uniting and fixing our broken politics, he wrote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 7News Spotlight will look to cover more breaking news stories in its current affairs mix, instead of relying on stories that take months to produce. Newly-installed executive producer Gemma Williams told The Australian, With the 24-hour news cycle it means that doing a story four months down the track is not necessarily what the audience always wants. If theres a major breaking story theres nothing to say we wont cover it live in addition to doing something more in depth, we can be a bit more reactive. Williams, 25, who is the daughter of former A Current Affair executive producer Grant Williams, admitted she wasnt shocked her age had been an early talking point. At the end of the day, yes, Im young but Im never going to profess that I have more knowledge or experience than those around me who have been in the industry for decades. That doesnt mean that I cant lead effectively, but Ive never been shy of a tough conversation or tough decision. I do have media in my blood and I have learnt a lot very quickly. Im not saying I have the brain of a 50-year-old EP I think you can lead a team and learn from them at the same time. You can read more here. Graeme Hall may have met his match with Mexican Cartel. 7:30pm Tuesday on 10. The Hundred with Andy Lee: Olympic Special Maggie Beers Big Mission The Cheap Seats I Was Actually There The Good Doctor This week Foreign Correspondent reporter Stephanie March travels to one of the most remote places on earth the Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard. Its also one of the most geostrategic places on the planet and is part of a tussle for power between Russian and NATO nations in the Arctic. Moscows invasion of Ukraine has thrust the once quiet Norwegian territory of Svalbard into a place of tension. Russia has a toe hold on the archipelago and where once both communities lived peacefully, allegations of propaganda, provocation even sabotage are now being levelled at Russia. In this report we explore why this unique and stunning location is so vital and how tensions are escalating. 8pm Thursday on ABC. A successor, of sorts, to Bruce McWilliam has been confirmed for Seven West Media. The Australian Financial Review reports Seven chief executive Jeff Howard has lured Emma McDonald, a sharp legal operator and daughter of former ABC chairman Donald McDonald, to take on the role. She is currently Director of Impact Missions at Minderoo Foundation, having held several positions there since 2021. She was previously Director of Public Affairs at ABC, Director of Business Affairs at ITV Studios Australia and corporate counsel at Fairfax Media and Austereo. McWilliam recently left Seven after two decades and a string of successful legal cases for the network. According to Mumbrella, McDonalds role at SWM will differ from that of McWilliam McDonald is scheduled to start in September. NEW YORK (AP) An owner of a consumer insights research firm couldn't pay her employees, make Friday's deadline to sign a contract for a new business or send key research to a key client. A psychiatrist, who runs a virtual mental health practice in Maryland, saw his business hobbled as some of his virtual assistants and therapists couldn't either make phone calls or log on to their computers. And a restaurant owner in New York City was worried about how he was going to pay his vendors and his workers. Businesses from airlines to hospitals have been grappling with a faulty software update that caused technological havoc worldwide on Friday, and its repercussions continued through the weekend. The breadth of the outages highlighted the fragility of a digitized world dependent on a few providers for key computing services. But the problem appeared to divide those affected into haves and have-nots. Major customers of Microsoft and CrowdStrike are getting IT support to resolve the issues, but many smaller businesses whose Windows PCs may have received the problematic update are still struggling. Take Tsvetta Kaleynska, owner and founder of the Manhattan-based consumer insights company RILA Global Consulting, which has Fortune 500 clients. As of Saturday, she resolved the payroll issue and she got an extension until Monday on the research project. But the prospective client will not move forward with the new contract, cutting her annual earnings by nearly 25%, she estimated. The problem: she couldn't sign the contract because Docusign, which runs on Microsoft software affected by the faulty update, was down. If I were part of a big company, then I would be able to delegate and get support from computer science or security services, Kaleynska said. But as a small business owner, I am depending only on myself. It's pretty devastating." On top of Kaleynska's business issues, she had to bring her ill daughter to a local hospital Friday because the hospital's phone lines were down. Kaleynska, an immigrant from Bulgaria who became a U.S. citizen in 2023, said she's learned a hard lesson: Our lives are very fragile because theyre based on technology, and we depend on technology. CrowdStrike is one of the largest cybersecurity firms in the U.S. and has a list of customers that includes more than half of the Fortune 500 companies as well as small and medium-sized businesses. Following the outage, the company provided an initial fix through a software update. But many computers are expected to need hands-on work that could take days, if not longer, to complete. Story continues For many small businesses that are impacted, that could mean working around the clock this weekend to make sure their systems are up and running, said Wedbush tech analyst Dan Ives. Small businesses rely on third parties for this not to happen and instead, it became a code red situation, Ives said. Overall, Ives noted tech problems can be easier to fix for big companies that have a sizable number of experts on their payroll as opposed to small businesses who could face more of an uphill battle because they have fewer technical resources. The ripple effects from this could be felt for days and weeks ahead, Ives said. It's not just a black eye moment for CrowdStrike, but for the broader industry. You cant have one fat finger update take down a global ecosystem. Pedestrians walk by blacked out screens, due to a global technology outage, in Times Square, Friday, July 19, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Ari Lightman, a professor of digital media at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Heinz College, agreed, noting the amount of money big companies spend on Microsoft and CrowdStrike is likely a large portion of their IT budget. On the other hand, small businesses can look at information online on how to resolve the outage. CrowdStrike has posted step-by-step manual fixes to its blog, but it can be intimidating for those who are less tech savvy. Lightman said those corporations could sue for a loss of business, but small ones might use class action suits to go after CrowdStrike for compensatory damages. The issue is affecting small businesses differently. Heather Garlich, a spokeswoman at Arlington, Va., grocery industry group FMI, said the outages were somewhat spotty and inconsistent depending on how businesses use certain Microsoft tools. She said she was aware of one with an issue with a human resource system, while another had problems with their routing system for distribution. Yet another had issues with its cash registers. Chris Seabrook, who owns a locksmith services business in Melbourne, Australia, called Asguard Locksmiths, told The Associated Press in a Friday email that the IT outage had thrown a significant wrench in his daily operations. He hasnt been able to send and receive emails, access critical files, manage his schedule or create invoices. My Microsoft PC is essential for many important functions in my business, he wrote. As a one-man business, every minute counts and this disruption has forced me to adapt quickly to ensure my services remain as uninterrupted as possible. To minimize the disruption, Seabrook borrowed a non-Microsoft device from a friend that enabled him to sign into his accounts and access some of his critical tools and information. Hes also using his smartphone for important messages and organizing his schedule. And he's been contacting clients to update them on the situation. Seabrook didn't immediately respond to a follow-up email sent by The Associated Press on Saturday. Some small business owners have improvised to get work done. Dr. Ozan Toy, a psychiatrist, and chief medical officer at the Maryland-based Telapsychiatry, which has 25 employees across the U.S., said some employees with Microsoft phone lines instead turned to the Ring Central System, while others shifted from Microsoft Teams to Zoom. Toy said his business was fortunate to have several backups of its electronic medical record system, allowing them to resume communications with each other and their patients. As of Sunday, the practice's cloud based services were running, he said. Toy noted financial losses were minimal as it has an external answering service taking calls from patients. Chris Delmond, the co-owner of Handcraft Hospitality, which operates three restaurants in Manhattan and one in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, said his restaurants remained open for business. But the outage meant he could not have access to his cloud-based accounting software app on the Microsoft platform. That prevented him from seeing receipts and invoices, and slowed his ability to process checks to his employees and suppliers. He had to resort to calling his banks to see whether deposits had been made and check balances. Im a small business owner. I have two other partners and we kind of do everything, he said. So its up to us to find out what the issues are. I dont have large platforms that help me track. But by late Friday afternoon, all the issues related to his business' cloud based systems were back to normal, Delmond said. He noted he didn't suffer any financial losses, but he added, It's frustrating, but as a small business owner you deal with the ups and downs." By Ernest Scheyder and Pratima Desai SALMON-CHALLIS NATIONAL FOREST, Idaho (Reuters) - The only U.S. cobalt mine sits fallow in the northern Idaho woods, a mothballed hunk of steel and dirt that is too expensive for its owner to operate because Chinese rivals have flooded global markets with cheap supplies of the bluish metal used in electric vehicle batteries and electronics. Jervois Global, which dug the mine into the side of a nearly 8,000-foot (2,400-meter) mountain, watched helplessly last year as cobalt prices plunged after China's CMOC Group opened the Kisanfu mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, pushing global production of the metal to an all-time high. The Idaho site, which Jervois bought in 2019, was idled in June 2023 just weeks before it was set to open. More than 250 workers lost their jobs. A skeleton crew now rotates unused rock crushing equipment weekly to keep it from flattening under its own weight. "We were straightforward with our staff and told them: 'This is all about the price of cobalt,'" site manager Matthew Lengerich told Reuters during a visit to the facility. Jervois says cobalt prices need to reach at least $20 per pound for the site to open. But prices sat near $12.17 in July. A similar quandary faces BHP, Albemarle and other Western mining companies trying to compete with metals produced by Chinese-linked companies, some of which use coal-generated electricity, child labor or other practices not meeting the standards set by many governments and manufacturers. Western miners say their competitors have inherent cost advantages that enable rapid production expansions even as prices for cobalt, lithium and nickel have plunged more than a third in the past 18 months. Operational costs for many of these Western companies have, as a result, been exceeding what market prices will cover. That has fueled growing calls from some policymakers and miners, including Jervois and Albemarle, for a two-tier pricing system with a premium for sustainably produced metals, according to interviews with more than three dozen traders, investors, executives, purchasing agents, and pricing agencies. The plan is to charge more for a metal that is produced sustainably, whether that is through direct transactions or via multiple prices for a metal listed through futures exchanges, depending on production methods. For example, there would be one price for standard nickel and another for green nickel. "Western miners simply can't compete with China, and China has shown the willingness to drive market prices way, way down," said Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines. Two-tier pricing could radically shift how metals needed for energy transition have been bought and sold for centuries yet also reduce market transparency as miners could bypass metals exchanges to negotiate directly with customers. It could also, two analysts told Reuters, lead to multiple definitions of what exactly constitutes "green metal." Story continues 'COMMITMENTS HAVE A COST' Industry leaders have pushed for two pricing structures for several years, but the call for change started gaining more attention from investors, policymakers and customers last fall as Western governments grew more concerned about Chinese competition. In meetings across Washington and Brussels, mining executives have been pleading with governments for some kind of intervention until two-tiered pricing is more widely embraced, suggesting that tariffs, supply chain transparency requirements, or government insurance for mines could be potential remedies, three industry sources said. U.S. and E.U. officials have privately expressed sympathy with the mining industry, according to two of the sources, but have so far been loath to inject themselves into the mechanics of how prices are set by exchanges and others. "I don't want to say what the markets should or shouldn't do to ensure strong ESG practices," said the U.S. State Department's Jose Fernandez, who oversees a program designed to facilitate metals supply deals. "But it is true that all of those commitments have a cost." As a result, mining industry customers such as automakers are in the uncomfortable position of trying to keep their costs low while maintaining secure and diverse metals supplies. Some deals are taking shape, prodded in part by regulations tied to emissions. The European Union by 2027 will require EV manufacturers to show where they procure metals and the carbon footprint for their production. Refusal to comply would mean an EV can't be sold in the region, a step not yet taken by the United States but one widely seen as the most aggressive globally to boost supply chain transparency and likely to fuel premium metals contracts. In Canada last year, Northern Graphite started successfully demanding a premium from customers wanting guaranteed North American supplies of the battery metal. Teck Resources earlier this year started selling a lightly processed type of copper known as concentrate to Aurubis, a source with direct knowledge said. The transaction does not rely on exchange pricing and guarantees Aurubis a steady supply of ESG-compliant concentrate that it turns into copper for sale to the auto industry. Teck declined to comment. Aurubis said it sees "the way to a green-friendly copper industry as a joint task for the entire value chain, which needs to be honored from the raw material supplier to the end consumer." Customers for now do not face a penalty if they do not source sustainable metals, but they increasingly face a reputational risk. "The question is really for car companies: Are you OK with something that might be priced lower or are you willing to pay premiums knowing that this is sourced sustainably in the correct way?" said Michael Scherb, CEO of Appian Capital Advisory, a private equity firm that invests in mining companies. 'WEATHER THE STORM' BHP, the world's largest mining company, said this month it would suspend operations at its Australia nickel mines due to "the substantial economic challenges driven by a global oversupply of nickel." The move was a blow to a company that had unsuccessfully bet its customers would be willing to pay a premium for nickel produced in a country that mines sustainably. BHP warned that nearly two-thirds of Australia's nickel market is in danger of closing amid low market prices fueled by a 153% increase in Indonesia's nickel from 2020 through the end of last year due to Huayou Cobalt and others - production that environmentalists say has partly come by tearing up the country's vast rainforests. U.S. officials are encouraging Jakarta to improve the country's mining standards. Huayou Cobalt did not respond to a request for comment. Australia's nickel industry is among the cleanest in the world largely due to how it handles carbon emissions, according to data from ESG consultancy Skarn Associates. Nickel processed in Indonesia emits more than five times the amount of carbon as production in Australia, the data show, with emissions from China's nickel industry nearly seven times worse than Australia. Albemarle, the top global producer of lithium, laid off staff in January amid low prices caused in part by ramped up production from Yongxing Special Materials Technology and others in China. "If there isn't an incentive above current prices, you're not going to get the investment you need to build the domestic (U.S.) supply chain," said Eric Norris, who oversees Albemarle's lithium operations. Fernandez, the U.S. State official, expects rising minerals demand to offset current "global oversupplies," but acknowledged that miners, for now, are in a bind. "We have to find ways to weather the storm," Fernandez said. TRANSPARENCY Since January, world leaders have taken a range of steps to offset China's market control. President Joe Biden imposed tariffs in May on critical minerals produced in China, saying "(metals) prices are unfairly low because Chinese companies don't need to worry about a profit." Jim Chalmers, Australia's treasurer, in February said governments should consider support for "a differentiated international trading market for resources produced to higher ESG standards." Chrystia Freeland, Canada's deputy prime minister, in April said Ottawa would fight the dumping of critical minerals by China, Indonesia and others. The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment. China has in the last year banned exports of graphite and other metals. Multiple U.S. senators from both parties have said they are considering legislation to offer price insurance for metals, similar to a government insurance program for crops, according to Senate aides. Such a move would guarantee miners a price for their metals, regardless of market conditions. Automakers have been moving cautiously as this trend for green pricing premiums evolves, conscious that consumers are reluctant to pay more for EVs. General Motors, the largest U.S. automaker, believes critical minerals should be produced sustainably but does not want to pay a premium out of concern that it will be unable to compete with Chinese rivals, according to a source directly involved in the company's minerals procurement. GM told Reuters it requires suppliers to comply with high standards, a stance echoed by Volkswagen, BMW and Stellantis. Tesla and Ford, which is building an Indonesian nickel processing plant with Huayou Cobalt and PT Vale Indonesia, did not respond to requests for comment. EXCHANGES The London Metal Exchange (LME) said it has received "positive market feedback" regarding its move to price sustainable nickel. Its partner Metalshub, a German online metals auction platform, sold 144 metric tons of low-carbon nickel in May and plans to publish a corresponding price when there are more transactions. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a UK-based provider of critical minerals pricing and data, has launched green metals pricing contracts, with each price derived from how a mining company adheres to 79 criterion that Benchmark said reflect high production standards. "You will not be able to guarantee by any stretch of the imagination a non-China supply of certain metals unless you're willing to pay some degree of a premium for that product," said Benchmark's Daniel Fletcher-Manuel. That's the message that Jervois has been pushing, unsuccessfully. "Ultimately, ESG has a cost," said Bryce Crocker, the company's CEO. "It's a worthwhile cost." (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder in Idaho and Pratima Desai in London; additional reporting by Melanie Burton, Clara Denina, Carlos Barria and Divya Rajagopal; editing by Veronica Brown and Claudia Parsons) President Joe Biden attends an event on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington, July 11, 2024. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, July 21, ending his bid for reelection following a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about his fitness for office just four months before the election. Susan Walsh/AP President Joe Biden, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris raise their arms as guests cheer after watching the Independence Day fireworks from the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2024. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images/TNS) Mandel Ngan/AFP/TNS President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race so close to the election creates a time crunch for Democrats to pick an alternative nominee, including in Texas where the deadline to get someone new on the ballot comes at the end of August. The party is expected to wrap up the selection process at the Democratic National Convention, which is set for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago. How the delegates choose a new nominee remains up in the air. The party could schedule a virtual vote in early August ahead of the convention or it could hold essentially a mini-primary at the convention. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texas is expected to play a major role in the selection with the third-highest number of delegates 273 behind California and New York. Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. But other Democrats could still jump into the mix. Timing will be tight to get the chosen replacement on the November election ballot in Texas. Now that Biden has withdrawn from the race, the state partys chair must submit the replacement nominee's name to the secretary of state by 5 p.m. Aug. 26. TEXANS WEIGH IN: Elected officials in Texas share mixed reactions to the news Biden is exiting the race Advertisement Article continues below this ad Other states deadlines vary. States Newsroom, a nonprofit news organization, informally surveyed 39 states and found that Iowa is among the earliest with an Aug. 16 deadline. Legal experts have said that a late dropout could elicit lawsuits from Republicans. It 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, Emory Law professor Alicia Hughes told States Newsroom. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Sunday in an interview on CNN of possible litigation. By Andrew Gray and John Irish BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, stripped Hungary on Monday of its role as host of an EU foreign ministers meeting in a sign of widespread anger in the bloc at Budapest's overtures to Russia about the war in Ukraine. Borrell said the meeting planned for Budapest in late August would now take place in Brussels, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Moscow and Beijing without EU backing and his government branded EU policy as "pro-war". "We have to send a signal, even if it is a symbolic signal," Borrell told reporters in Brussels after a last meeting of EU foreign ministers before the summer break. Orban began his self-styled peace mission - which included a visit to U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump - just days after Hungary took on the 27-nation EU's rotating presidency on July 1. At Monday's meeting, many EU foreign ministers voiced strong condemnation of Budapest's stance directly to their Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, according to officials. "This was very clear and was reiterated in a way that left no room for doubt," Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said. Many EU countries consider Hungary to be too close to Moscow, undermining EU efforts to isolate Russia politically and diplomatically over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Hungary says it is trying to bring peace to Ukraine as soon as possible. Borrell said Budapest should be branding Russian President Vladimir Putin "pro-war", not the European Union. "If you want to talk about the war party, talk about Putin," he said. Anticipating the move before it was announced on Monday, Szijjarto branded Borrell's decision "childish". "I really don't want to offend anyone, but it's probably a kindergarten-level debate," he told reporters. Borrell said there had been no consensus among EU members over whether to attend the meeting - planned for Aug. 28-29 - and a gathering of defence ministers afterwards. He said he opted to switch both meetings to Brussels given that a majority of countries wanted to send a signal to Hungary. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said he had proposed holding the foreign ministers meeting in Ukraine but Hungary voted against the proposal. EU countries including Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Denmark - as well as the European Commission, the EU executive body - have already downgraded their participation in EU ministerial meetings. An informal foreign ministers' meeting is one of the most high-profile and prestigious events hosted by a country when it hosts the EU's rotating presidency. (Additional reporting Bart Meijer in Brussels, Miranda Murray in Berlin and Boldizsar Gyori in Budapest; Editing by Alison Williams, Sharon Singleton and Rod Nickel) By Francesco Guarascio HANOI (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will visit Vietnam next week to discuss how to boost cooperation with the Southeast Asian country in areas including security and sustainable development, the EU ambassador in Hanoi said. Vietnam is an important trading partner for the European Union (EU), attracting the attention of global powers as it benefits from shifts in multinationals' supply chains caused by growing tensions between the United States and China. In a visit planned for July 29-31, Borrell will discuss with Vietnamese authorities "how to further reinforce EU-Vietnam cooperation in key areas for our mutual future sustainable development and security," EU ambassador Julien Guerrier told Reuters. The EU and Vietnam have a free trade agreement in place since 2020, which has turned the Asian industrial hub into the EU's top trading partner in Southeast Asia for goods. Several EU companies have made important investments in the country, including Germany's engineering giant Bosch, Danish toymaker Lego, French pharmaceutical group Sanofi and Italy's motor bike manufacturer Piaggio. Shoemaker Adidas has dozens of suppliers in Vietnam. Hanoi has also signed a Just Energy Transition Partnership with Western and Group of Seven (G7) nations, under which it is eligible to receive billions of dollars in EU funds to reduce its reliance on coal and boost renewables. However, divisions remain on human rights and foreign policy. Vietnam's abstention from condemning Russia's military escalation in Ukraine is seen in some EU capitals as a position too close to Moscow. Vietnam's postponement in May of a visit to Hanoi by the special envoy for the implementation of EU sanctions, David O'Sullivan, attracted explicit criticism from the EU, as it was seen as a favour to Russia. Borrell, who is just at the end of his five-year tenure, will ensure "irritants are solved," EU ambassador Guerrier said, noting O'Sullivan's visit is now planned for September. Borrell will visit Vietnam after attending a meeting in Laos of foreign affairs ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Since September, Hanoi has hosted state visits from U.S. President Joe Biden, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. No EU Commission President has visited Vietnam in ten years, since Jose Manuel Barroso travelled to the country in August 2014. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Michael Perry) Hungary and Slovakia ask EU to mediate with Ukraine over Lukoil FILE PHOTO: The logo of Lukoil is on display at a petrol station in Saint Petersburg BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungary and Slovakia have asked the European Commission to mediate a consultation procedure with Ukraine, Hungary's foreign minister said on Monday, after Kyiv placed Russian group Lukoil on a sanctions list, stopping its supplies to the two countries. Slovakia and Hungary have increased pressure on Kyiv after they said last week they had stopped receiving oil from Lukoil via Ukraine. Hungary receives 2 million metric tons of oil from the Russian group annually, around a third of its total oil imports, Peter Szijjarto said. "I spoke with the Ukrainian foreign minister yesterday. He said they allow every oil transfer through, but it's not true," Szijjarto told reporters while in Brussels. The two countries have initiated a consultation with the European Commission, he said, adding the Commission had three days to respond. If the consultation procedure did not yield results, Hungary and Slovakia would take the issue to an international court of their choosing instead, he said. A spokesperson for the European Commission said it had received the request from Hungary and Slovakia and was studying it. The Ukrainian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though the head of Ukrainian energy firm Naftogaz acknowledged a lack of oil from Lukoil. "The volumes of the transited oil in July are the same as in the previous periods. There are no Lukoil volumes but volumes are the same," Naftogaz CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov said. Lukoil's supplies via the Druzhba pipeline's southern spur account for some 50% of its flows and MOL's refineries in Slovakia and Hungary totally depend on shipments from Lukoil. In an attempt to sell oil not sent to Hungary and Slovakia, Lukoil has added some 140,000 metric tonnes of crude oil to its original lifting plan for the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk for July, market sources said. OTHER SUPPLIERS The second largest supplier via the route is Tatneft, which also delivers oil to MOL, while Gazprom Neft, Russneft and some other small independent producers provide the rest. As an alternative, Hungary may import oil from Croatia's Omisalj sea port via the Adria pipeline, while Slovakia is only able to get oil via Hungary. Since April, oil imports via Omisalj were around 500,000 metric tons each month, including the grades Basrah, Azeri BTC and CPC Blend. Russia continues to supply natural gas and oil to landlocked Hungary and Slovakia via Ukraine despite the war in the country and EU sanctions on Russian crude. The countries have exemptions from oil sanctions to give them more time to transition to alternative sources of supply. Both Slovakia and Hungary also supply energy to Ukraine. Szijjarto said Hungary provided 42% of Ukrainian electricity imports last month. Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said over the weekend that his country helped to supply diesel to Ukraine, in comments in which he criticised the sanctions and said Slovakia would not be held hostage to Ukraine-Russia relations. On Monday, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar reiterated some of Fico's comments, saying that the sanctions had a bigger impact on the Slovakia and the EU than on Russia. Ukraine's ban does not affect other Russian oil exporters whose oil was allowed to transit through Ukraine. (Reporting by Boldizsar Gyori, Editing by Jason Hovet, Jan Harvey and Barbara Lewis) FILE PHOTO: Commemorations marking the 10th anniversary of the proclamation of Spain's King Felipe VI at Royal Palace in Madrid By Emma Pinedo MADRID (Reuters) -A Spanish court on Monday summoned Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to testify as a witness in an investigation into alleged corruption and influence peddling accusations against his wife that led him to consider resigning in April. Sanchez, who runs a minority Socialist-led government, will be interviewed by investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado at his official residence, the Moncloa Palace, on July 30, the court said. The proceedings are part of a preliminary investigation into whether Begona Gomez used her position as the premier's wife to secure sponsors for a university master's degree course that she ran. Peinado said Sanchez's testimony would be "convenient, useful and relevant" for the investigation to establish whether there was influence peddling. Under Spanish law, close relatives including spouses can refuse to answer questions, lawyer Luis Romero told Reuters. Gomez appeared before the judge on Friday but declined to answer questions as instructed by her lawyers, who said the case was "groundless". She has not commented publicly on the case, but Sanchez has denied the accusations against her, saying they were baseless and orchestrated by right-wing political foes. "It's obvious that this has always been a staged case, a far-right and right-wing setup against the prime minister," Socialist parliamentary spokesperson Patxi Lopez told reporters. In April, Sanchez took a five-day break from his duties to consider whether to resign after the court opened the investigation, but ultimately he decided to stay on. It is the first time a sitting Spanish prime minister has been called to testify in a judicial case since Mariano Rajoy was summoned as a witness in 2017 in a graft case that led to the conviction of several members of his conservative People's Party and ultimately to a 2018 vote of no confidence in Rajoy. People's Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said Sanchez should follow his own advice that he gave to Rajoy in 2017 and resign. (Reporting by Emma Pinedo, additional reporting by Inti Landauro; editing by Charlie Devereux and Andrei Khalip) KYIV/BEIJING (Reuters) - Ukraine's top diplomat will visit China on Tuesday at the invitation of Beijing for talks that Kyiv said would focus on how to end Russia's war in Ukraine and on a possible Chinese role in reaching a settlement. Nearly 29 months since Russia's full-scale invasion, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will discuss bilateral ties at talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a trip to China from July 23 to 25, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said. "The main topic of discussion will be the search for ways to stop Russia's aggression and China's possible role in achieving a stable and just peace," the Ukrainian ministry said in a statement on its website. The Chinese statement said Kuleba's visit would run from July 23 to 26 and provided less detail. The trip is unusual as China is widely seen as close to the Kremlin, with which Beijing declared a "no limits" partnership in 2022 just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Though the world's second largest economy has not condemned the Russian invasion and helped keep Russia's war economy afloat, Kyiv has been cautious in its criticism of Beijing. China meanwhile says its ties with Russia are built on the basis of non-alliance and do not target any third party. Various peace initiatives have emerged in recent months as the fighting has dragged on ahead of a U.S. election in November that could see the return to power of ex-president Donald Trump who has threatened to cut vital aid flows to Ukraine. Kyiv held an international summit without Russian representation in Switzerland in June to promote its vision of peace and now says it hopes to be ready to hold another one in November that would feature Russian representation. China, which did not attend the Swiss summit, together with Brazil published a separate six-point peace plan on May 23, saying they supported an international peace conference being held that would be recognised by both sides in the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that only the world's powerful countries would be able to successfully bring an end to the war, singling out China as well as Kyiv's close U.S. ally as two possibilities. The Ukrainian leader has said that China should play a serious role in helping to resolve the war. (Reporting by Liz Lee, Olena Harmash and Yuliia Dysa; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) HA NOI The Vietnamese market opened the new week negatively as the VN-Index decreased sharply, while foreign investors showed signs of bottom fishing. The VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) finished the day at 1,254.64 points, down 10.14 points, or 0.8 per cent. On the southern bourse, the breadth was negative as 259 stocks ticked down, while 71 increased. Liquidity hovered above VN21.2 trillion (US$832.2 million), an increase of 14.1 per cent from the previous session. The VN30-Index, tracking the 30 biggest stocks on HoSE by market capitalisation, also dropped 3.01 points, or 0.23 per cent, down to 1,299.31 points. The number of decliners surpassed that of gainers in the VN30 basket by 15 to 12, with three stocks ending flat. Large-cap stocks in the manufacturing sectors led the market's downturn with shares in the Vietnam Rubber Group - Joint Stock Company (GVR) posting the biggest fall in market capitalisation, down 5.07 per cent, contributing to a decrease of more than 1.6 points in the VN-Index. It was followed by Vietnam Airlines JSC (HVN). Shares of the national airline brand hit a low on Monday, dropping 6.88 per cent. Notably, this was this stock's fifth consecutive sharp decline, with four of these sessions hitting the floor price. Other poorly performing stocks at the start of the week included FPT Corporation (FPT), down 1.51 per cent, uc Giang Chemicals Group JSC (DGC), down 6.02 per cent and PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation (GAS), down 1.03 per cent. The index pared losses thanks to weaker bottom fishing demand. Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TCB) was the biggest gainer, with an increase of 1.07 per cent, contributing more than 0.4 points to the VN-Index. It was followed by Masan Group Corporation (MSN), which was up 1.69 per cent, and Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (CTG), which increased by 0.75 per cent. According to analysts at Viet Dragon Securities, the market is expected to continue fluctuating around this level to gauge supply and demand at the start of the new trading week. However, caution and market risks should still be noted due to recent unstable developments. Therefore, investors should slow down and observe supply-demand movements to reassess market conditions while also considering taking profits or restructuring their portfolios during market recoveries to minimise risks. The Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) index also finished lower on Monday, declining by 0.89 per cent to 238.38 points. During the session, more than VN1.7 trillion worth of shares were traded, equivalent to a trading volume of more than 87 million shares on the northern market. Foreign investors bought a net of over VN436 billion on HoSE. VNS Compiled by Thanh Hai HA NOI Hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel imports are pouring heavily into Viet Nam, while the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is reviewing domestic enterprises' dossiers requesting an anti-dumping investigation on HRC steel products imported from China and India. In June 2024 alone, Viet Nam imported 886,000 tonnes of HRC steel, equal to 151 per cent of domestic production, of which the amount of steel imported from China accounted for 77 per cent. The amount of imported HRC steel in the first six months of this year increased sharply to an alarming level, 1.7 times higher than domestic production. In particular, the import activity is still vibrant, even when the MoIT officially received dossiers from domestic businesses requesting an anti-dumping investigation on HRC steel imported from China and India on June 14. Cumulatively in the first six months of 2024, imported HRC steel output reached nearly six million tonnes, up 32 per cent over the same period in 2023. This import volume is equal to 173 per cent of domestic production. Of which, the amount of steel imported from China accounts for 74 per cent, the remaining is from Taiwan, Korea, India, Japan and other countries. HRC steel import turnover in six months reached US$3.46 billion, with China alone accounting for $2.5 billion. Notably, HRC steel products imported from China have very low prices, an average of $560 /tonne, $45 to $108 /tonne lower than other countries. According to regulations, the MoIT will have 45 days to review before making a final decision, from the date of officially receiving the complete dossier. The massive influx of cheap imported goods showing signs of dumping into Viet Nam prevents domestic enterprises from exploiting their full design capacity. According to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA), the countrys demand for HRC steel is about 12-13 million tonnes a year. The capacity of domestic HRC steel factories is currently about nine million tonnes. Therefore, the massive import of steel flooded into Viet Nam was nearly double the domestic production, dominating the HRC steel market share of domestic enterprises. The market share of HRC steel sales of domestic enterprises such as Hoa Phat and Formosa has decreased from 42 per cent in 2021 to 30 per cent in 2023. At the General Meeting of Shareholders in April, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hoa Phat Group Tran inh Long said: "No country in the world allows imported goods in larger quantities than domestic production. In 2023, HRC steel production of Hoa Phat and Formosa was 6.7 million tonnes while HRC steel imports were 9.6 million tonnes. Massive imports will sooner or later crush domestic production." Director of the WTO and Integration Centre (VCCI) Nguyen Thi Thu Trang said that in the International Trade Organisation (WTO), steel is the group that applies the most trade defence measures, accounting for 32 per cent of trade defence cases in the period 1995-2023. The reason why steel is of such interest is because of the importance of this product in the development and construction process of countries. Meanwhile, Viet Nams HRC steel production capacity has met 70 per cent of the countrys consumption demand (8.5/12 million tonnes), but there currently are no preferential rates for countries with normal trade relations status with Viet Nam and no other tariff barriers to protect domestic production. This makes the Vietnamese market a low-lying area for imports from neighbouring countries and can be exploited by steel powers to export to European and American markets. Steel industry experts also said that Viet Nam's steel industry, especially high-quality and HRC steel production is quite disadvantaged because international agreements and commitments have a tax rate of zero per cent due to the context previously steel has not been produced domestically. In recent years, Viet Nam's steel industry has made strong developments, becoming self-sufficient in many high-quality products, especially HRC steel. Viet Nam is reaching the leading position in Southeast Asia in steel production and ranks in the top 12 largest steel-producing countries in the world. Therefore, the government, ministries and branches need to take timely measures to protect the domestic production of upstream products. Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Thuy, a lecturer at the University of Economics (Hanoi National University), said that the Government of Viet Nam always encouraged improving domestic production capacity and developing foundation and materials industries in which steel is the input material product of many different production chains. Being proactive in domestic supply not only contributes to increasing the autonomy of the economy but also enhances domestic added values, enhancing Viet Nam's position in the global value chain, so an anti-dumping investigation on imported HRC steels, ensuring a fair competitive environment and creating favourable conditions for domestic manufacturing enterprises is necessary," said Thuy. VNS HA NOI Two titles translated from Vietnamese have been announced as winners of PEN Translates, a prestigious literary prize that honours the best translations of literary works from around the world into the English language. This is the first time that two translated works from Viet Nam Bien Su Nuoc (Water: A Chronicle) by Nguyen Ngoc Tu, published by Major Books, and Thang May Sai Gon (Elevator In Sai Gon) by Thuan, published by Tilted Axis Press have appeared in the same list. Both of them were translated by translator Nguyen An Ly. Water: A Chronicle and Elevator In Sai Gon are among the 16 winners of PEN Translates award this year, from eleven different regions and from ten original languages, spanning various genres including novels, short story collections, non-fiction, verse drama and young adult literature. Water: A Chronicle was published in Viet Nam in 2020, and is the second novel by writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu, following her 2012 work Song (River). Tu is well known for her short stories and essays, but both of her novels have been praised for their innovative and creative approach to both content and literary style. The English edition is set to be released in October. The book consists of 11 chapters, with the content presented in a circular, non-linear structure that lacks a definitive ending. Each chapter reads as an independent short story, based around a story of a great flood which cannot be closed. The Lord with the heart of salvation becomes the central figure and a symbolic representation of the divine. Elevator In Sai Gon was introduced to Vietnamese readers in 2013 and was awarded the Bourse de Creation in 2013 by the Centre National du Livre (National Book Centre) of France. Its author, Thuan, has previously published several novels written in both French and Vietnamese. The story is set in the year 2004 and follows a young Vietnamese woman who, after the tragic death of her mother in an elevator, decides to track down a man named Paul Polotski whom her mother had loved back in the Hoa Lo Prison the night before the Battle of ien Bien Phu. Will Forrester, Head of Literature Programmes at English PEN, said: These 16 awards are selected from our largest round of submissions to date. The breadth, boldness, originality, risk-taking, spirit and quality exhibited across the submissions and award-winners is staggering and speaks to the thriving state of translated literature publishing. Were pleased to be a part of bringing these works to English-language readers, and to be able to support these exceptional writers, translators and publishers. Translator Nguyen An Ly lives in HCM City and holds an MA from University of York, UK. She has over twenty translations into Vietnamese, published under various names and in various genres, including authors such as Margaret Atwood, Donna Tartt, Kazuo Ishiguro, Richard Flanagan, Jorge Luis Borges, and the poetry in The Lord of the Rings. As an editor, she has worked on translations from Nabokov, A. S. Byatt, Roland Barthes, Joseph Campbell, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Liu Cixin, among others. Chinatown by Thuan, her debut translation into English, won the 2023 ALTA National Translation Award in Prose. She co-founded and co-edits the independent online journal Zzz Review. The PEN Translates award was established in 2012 with support from the Arts Council England to encourage UK publishers to seek out and promote books from a wider range of languages. Winning projects receive funding of up to 75 per cent of the translation costs for a book. For smaller publishers with annual turnovers under 500,000, the funding support can be considered up to 100 per cent. There are two submission periods each year - April-May and October-November - for publishers to submit their translated works for consideration. PEN Translates has now supported 376 books translated from over 90 languages, awarding over 1.2m in grants. Nineteen PEN Translates-supported books have appeared on International Booker Prize longlists. VNS HA NOI The film crew of Hoang Hau Cuoi Cung (The Last Queen) has put out a call for actors and actresses to portray the life of the last queen consort of Viet Nam, Queen Nam Phuong (1913-1963). Queen Nam Phuong, born Marie-Therese Nguyen Huu Thi Lan, was the first and primary wife of the last King Bao ai of Viet Nam from 1934, until her death. She also was the first and only queen consort of the Nguyen Dynasty. The last queen was both a stunningly beautiful Vietnamese and had the intelligence of a Western-educated lady, with the ability to speak French -- these are the attributes that the film crew is looking for. The director is also looking for someone to play the equally important role of King Bao ai. Criteria for the actor to take on this important role must be to show his affection and generosity, as well as the ability to speak French. "Actors and actresses do not necessarily have to be famous names. We will prioritise the one that fits the role and meets the script requirements," director Bao Nhan said. In addition to the two main characters, the film crew will also be casting many other important roles such as crown prince Bao Long, concubine Mong iep and the King's lovers including Phi Anh, and Ly Le Ha. The film focuses on the period of over ten years that the Queen spent in the royal palace, exploring various aspects of her married life, from happiness to sorrow, with King Bao ai, until the day the royal family left the Imperial City to start a quiet life abroad. The script was inspired by the novel Tinh su Nam Phuong hoang hau (Queen Nam Puong's Love Story) by writer Tran Thi Hao and a history book by Le Lan Khanh. Director Bao Nhan and Namcito have spent five years researching and collecting details in order to bring the story to the big screen. Filming is being supported by the Thua Thien Hue People's Committee who will be providing access to the Complex of Hue Monuments. Kien Trung Palace, where King Bao ai, Queen Nam Phuong, and their princes and princesses lived. After an online casting selection, selected candidates will be invited to a live call to meet with the director. Selected actors and actresses will immediately start rehearsals, alongside royal etiquette courses. The film, which is expected to be released in 2026, will be filmed in 2025 in Hue, a Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, HCM City and Chabrignac (France), where the queen lived before she passed away in 1963. Candidates can apply through the link and via email at HoangHauCuoiCungMovie@gmail.com. The deadline for the call is August 21. -- VNS From this week, Viet Nam News presents sample chapters of the upcoming book in Vietnamese: Hoi ky chay than, Memoir of a Dialysis Patient, by Ho Hong Viet, who's entering his 19th year at the hospital. His first-hand accounts are both heart-wrenching yet encouraging for other patients in a similar condition. The book also reveals the hidden truth at some of the top hospitals in Ha Noi, where health workers could be found doing practices unfit for the job. Viet Nam News hopes to receive your truthful comments if you're a reader, guidance or suggestion if you are a healthcare worker, or only a heart to encourage patients in similar circumstances. Please let us know on our fanpage. Follow the story on Viet Nam News website https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style The Fateful Evening One evening in early November 2006, I drove my wife to Dr. NLV's house, who works at BM Hospital, to ask him to look over my kidney function test results. He and his wife chatted with us for a while, then he picked up the test papers to examine them. I quietly observed. At first, his expression was relatively calm. He reviewed the papers very carefully and I noticed he occasionally paused in thought, sometimes furrowing his brows. Naturally, I felt a bit anxious and worried. Finally, he set the papers down on the table and said: - You have stage one chronic nephritis. I felt a bit stunned but kept my composure and asked him: - Can you explain it a bit more, doctor? He didn't provide further details about my condition, just advised me to rest for a while and wrote me a prescription. I remember the prescription included the antibiotic Zinnat, with a dosage of three pills a day for five days, and I was told that I needed to undergo a specialist examination at the hospital. I understood that my condition was quite serious and I asked further: "Will my illness be treatable, doctor?" The doctor replied: "The illness has progressed to a chronic stage and cannot be cured. You should be admitted to the hospital, and the doctors will run tests again and suggest a treatment plan." My spouse and I said our goodbyes and headed home. The journey back was just over a kilometer, yet that evening it felt much longer; inexplicably, we both fell silent. At that moment, I wasn't preoccupied with my illness but rather felt a deep sense of affection for my wife. I wanted to ask her about things at home, but I didn't know how to start; I felt as if I had committed some grave error. On the streets, traffic continued bustling, the lights along the road flickered through the flamboyant trees as they always did, and the welders were still busy, sparks flying like brilliant fireworks. Everything seemed unchanged, yet I felt a sense of alienation as if I were lost in a completely different world. When I arrived home, my two children were still studying. They greeted us and then went right back to focusing on their work as if nothing had happened. We have two children: our eldest is a girl, whom we affectionately call Tom, and our second child is a boy, named Quick, who was born sixteen years after his sister. That night, my wife and I lay awake, unable to sleep. By this point, we had both calmed down. My wife discussed what needed to be done in the coming days. I hardly dared to voice any opinions. Deep down, I felt it was best to follow my wife's suggestions (I agreed with whatever she said). That evening could be seen as a fateful moment; I knew I was harboring a terminal illness, something I had never dared to think would affect me, and now I had to navigate the rest of my life alongside it. CHAPTER I: BEFORE GOING ON DIALYSIS BM Hospital On the morning of November 3, 2006, my wife and I arrived at BM Hospital to meet Dr. NH, the Head of the Outpatient Department. As a friend, the doctor welcomed us warmly. He advised us to have Dr. KD, the Head of the Nephrology Department, treat me. However, Dr. KD was on a work trip to Japan and wouldn't return for another two weeks. I dont know why at that time Dr. NH recommended that we go home, take medication to regulate blood pressure, and monitor it ourselves. Seeing our hesitation, Dr. NH referred us to the Haematology Department, explaining that I was experiencing anemia and that treatment there might improve my kidney condition once my blood quality improved. The Head of Haematology, a female doctor, received us and admitted me for treatment. That was what I experienced in the early days at BM Hospital. Since I struggled to sleep, I requested outpatient treatment, with my wife driving me to the hospital in the mornings and picking me up in the afternoons. Each day, I received a blood transfusion and injections to stimulate red blood cell production (Eprex). After about two weeks of this treatment, we asked to transfer to the Nephrology Department after hearing that Dr. KD had returned from his trip. Holding the transfer document, I confidently approached Dr. KD, believing I would be admitted given my paperwork from the Hematology Department. Initially, he firmly refused, citing the overcrowded condition of the department. Fortunately, I had also brought along the prescription written by Dr. NLV for him to review the lab results. After reviewing the document, Dr. KD changed his attitude and agreed to process my admission to the department. My health was not good right now, and I had a lot of trouble sleeping, so my wife and I opted to stay in a service room, where each room had two beds, costing VN350,000 per bed per day. The first treatment phase lasted about a month. During this time, my wife stayed in the hospital with me during the day, taking me to various functional examination rooms and managing my meals and medications. After taking care of everything, she headed home, usually around 9pm. Every day, I received medication through an IV, had my blood pressure monitored, and got injections and various medications to maintain kidney function, fully following the doctor's orders. Perhaps the most striking moment during this treatment was one evening when my blood pressure rose, and I developed a severe headache. The doctor ordered a slow IV infusion of a low dose of Paracetamol. The infusion lasted from around 7pm until 4am when the pain finally subsided. Throughout that time, I writhed in pain. A headache from high blood pressure is incredibly uncomfortable and distressing; only those who have experienced this illness can fully understand the agony of such pain. I endured that pain for a solid eight hours. I expended all my energy to fight the pain and felt extremely fatigued; at times, I thought I might suffer a stroke. There were moments when I wished for that to happen just to end my prolonged suffering. That night, I repeatedly sought advice from Dr. KD. By then, the doctor had gone home, telling me to wait until the infusion was complete. It wasnt until 4am that the pain finally started to ease. On that day, my wife didnt dare go home and stayed awake with me all night. Even later, I still didn't understand why the doctor treated me this way. Before starting my treatment in the hospital, I was managing my hypertension myself. Besides taking medication regularly at scheduled times, whenever my blood pressure stayed high for an extended period and caused headaches, I would typically take additional medication to lower it. If necessary, I would also take more Paracetamol, which would quickly alleviate my headache. That night at BM Hospital, I was only given a slow IV infusion of Paracetamol without taking any antihypertensive medication. According to the doctor, this method was to reduce the impact on my stomach and liver. Since I was being treated in the hospital, I had to comply with the doctors' orders, but deep down, I found their explanation unconvincing. My liver was functioning normally, and my stomach was not in an acute inflammatory state; I had been taking blood pressure medication and Paracetamol for a long time. The headache that night was just an acute pain; with one dose of an antihypertensive and a pain reliever, it would have been resolved. It wasnt a long-term treatment issue. If I had self-treated as I usually did at home, I believe I would have been headache-free within half an hour. That was the only time I treated my headache in that manner up to that point. During this time, in addition to some standard medications, I often had to take some unfamiliar drugs that I hadnt used before, like Corticosteroid (as I recall). When I asked, the doctor explained that it was related to the adrenal glands. Additionally, I had to take anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs like Medrol. I had to take these two medications daily at the hospital. With my years of experience now, I am sure I would have researched the medication guides and effects thoroughly at that time. When I was discharged and went home, I was still prescribed those two medications, so I had to hire someone to come to my house to administer the injections. Noticing that I had to use these medications so frequently, I began researching the drug guidelines (I had to buy the medication myself, which included the instructions). During the treatment with these medications, I felt anxious and uneasy because I saw no positive changes in my condition, and my health continued to decline. I frequently felt very weak and exhausted. After reading about the side effects of the medication, I was really worried but didnt dare to stop taking it. There was another medication on the prescription; I vaguely remembered it was called Prednisolone, which served a purpose somewhat similar to Medrol. I took the medication for about two weeks. My spouse and I sensed a significant conflict between taking the medication and protecting the remaining kidney function. Before being discharged, the doctor instructed me to have regular monthly check-ups for monitoring. I was scheduled for an appointment at a private clinic. Personal reflections: Throughout my treatment in the hospital, the doctor communicated very little with us about the progression of the illness and was mostly treated in silence. When they did speak, it was primarily to inform us of the day's tasks, such as where to get imaging or ultrasounds done. Daily blood tests were taken, but we were unaware of what was being tested or the results. We only learned a little because my wife often went to the desk to check for any results related to my tests, and sometimes she got lucky. Through these sneak peeks, we realised that my condition was unstable and had worsened. I only remembered that the creatinine level indicating kidney function at discharge was significantly higher than when I was first admitted. Since the treating doctor didnt discuss my medical condition with us, I naturally assumed I was still a first stage chronic kidney disease patient (whoever wants to think their illness is worse?). However, there was one detail I didnt want to acknowledge: on the day I was preparing to be discharged, my spouse and I accidentally encountered Dr. ND, assistant to Dr. KD, in the hospital corridor. During a brief exchange of farewells, Dr. ND mentioned, possibly unintentionally, that my condition was transitioning from stage 1 to stage 2. I heard this but brushed it off and didnt want to ask further, as the doctor conveyed the information in a way that suggested we should figure it out ourselves. In truth, I wasnt surprised, as I had seen the test results and sensed my health was deteriorating. Please read full story here. Translated from Vietnamese by Nguyen Huy Dung LONDON Photographer Vu Kim Thanh, currently Deputy Director of the Vietnamese Family Partnership (VFP), a London-based charity that aims to bring Vietnamese community together, said he was shocked and deeply sad upon hearing the news on the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Talking to Vietnam News Agency reporters in London, Thanh recounted his memories with the Party leader, notably the meeting during the Party General Secretary's visit to the UK on January 22-23, 2013. As a reporter for a local newspaper, Thanh had the honour to greet the Party leader and the Vietnamese delegation at the airport. He had the opportunity to film and take photos of the General Secretary from the moment the plane landed until he met with British diplomatic officials in the VIP lounge at Heathrow Airport. He also followed the delegation to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK to meet with embassy officials, overseas Vietnamese, and various associations. The visit was very successful and Thanh also had an indelible personal memory as the Party leader attended the opening ceremony of an art exhibition that was organised by the Vietnamese Embassy, showcasing his paintings. During the visit, the Party leader left a profound impression and many warm feelings among the overseas Vietnamese in the UK in general and Thanh in particular, regarding his talent, wit and humanity. General Secretary Trong is a personality of modesty, integrity and dedication to the public interest following the path of the great President Ho Chi Minh, he said. Thanh also expressed his admiration for Party leader's decisive actions in eliminating corrupt officials and believed that Trong's moral example will be followed by future leaders. VNA/VNS LAO CAI The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai has made use of its strengths to develop new tourism products that meet tourists travel trend. One of the new products that have drawn a large number of visitors recently is farmstay which allows tourists to join locals in agricultural activities such as growing vegetables or raising fish and livestock, and harvesting and using their products to cook meals. Ta Van commune in Sa Pa town is well-known for community-based tourism villages that draw numerous tourists. Grasping tourists' needs, many local homestay service providers have used their agricultural production area to create unforgettable experiences for visitors. Hoang Hien, the owner of Lua homestay, said that she found that visitors are particularly interested in experiencing the local life. From May, foreign tourists come and plant rice in terraced fields with local residents. After a working day, they have dinners with the locals. In August and September, the tourists are offered to harvest rice, ride buffalos and bathe in streams. Ricard, a French tourist, said visitors want to have such experiences, enjoying locals' daily lives in places where they come, not simply taking photos. Meanwhile, visiting a farm stay model in Bat Xat District, visitors not only relax and participate in daily activities with local residents but also pick and collect herbal medicinal plants, to the field. They also have a chance to join in preparing traditional meals with local residents in the community house of the Red Dao Phin Ngan. Thanks to the massive forest area, the farm stay tourism model is booming in Lao Cai, generating twin benefits, helping increase income for locals, and promoting a sustainable environment. To expand agrotourism, Lao Cai has worked to connect tourists and destinations by organising events and farm trips for travel firms and media agencies. Besides, it is developing many other tourism products in association with the promotion of the cultural identities of local ethnic minority groups. At the same time, Lao Cai has strengthened coordination with domestic and foreign localities such as Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Yunnan (China), and Nouvelle Aquitaine region (France) to promote its tourism sector. The Lao Cai Department of Tourism planned to organise a number of large-scale events to lure visitors in the coming time, such as Bac Ha White Plateau Festival, Rose and Love Festival, Triathlon tournament in Bac Ha, Sa Pa Snow Festival, and international tourism fair 2024. According to the provincial Department of Tourism, in the first half of 2024, the province earned VN13.5 trillion (US$531.18 million) from tourism services, a year-on-year surge of 24 per cent. The locality welcomed more than 4.1 million visitors, fulfilling 48.67 per cent of its plan for the whole year. Sa Pa town, honoured by Tripadvisor as one of the top five Trending Destinations in the world in 2024, remained Lao Cai's key destination with nearly 2 million visitors accommodated in the first half of this year. This year, Lao Cai targets to attract 8.5 million visitors with tourism revenue of over VN27 trillion. VNA/VNS PARIS Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, who is also Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA), has met representatives of the Vietnamese community in France and attended a ceremony to launch an event honouring the Vietnamese language in Paris. At the July 20 meeting, Hang lauded contributions by Vietnamese in the European country to the homeland over the past time, and briefed them on national socio-economic development. The Vietnamese Party and State always pay attention to overseas Vietnamese (OVs), and encourage them to look towards the homeland, the official affirmed, adding the committee has played an active part in reviewing relevant policies and laws, and proposing amendments and supplements so as to ensure rights and interests of Vietnamese abroad across spheres. The work will be stepped up in the time ahead to meet their aspirations and create favourable conditions for them to return home for investment and business, she continued. Ambassador inh Toan Thang informed the official on diverse activities of the Vietnamese community in the host country, including those aiming to preserve the Vietnamese language and other traditional values. According to the diplomat, the Vietnamese language event is to honour associations and individuals for their contributions to preserving and promoting the mother tongue to nurture national pride among youths as well as people from all walks of life in France. Representatives of the Vietnamese community in France expressed their hope for more support from the COVA in preserving and spreading the Vietnamese language among the OVs, especially in France. Angot Rabin, a teacher of Vietnamese at the Association of Vietnamese in France, pointed to challenges to teaching the language, including the lack of suitable documents, and noted his hope for more training courses for teachers. In this regard, Hang urged relevant associations to carry on the spirit of solidarity and coordinate with Vietnamese representative offices to bring Vietnamese together and preserve and promote the Vietnamese culture and language, thus contributing to the friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries. On this occasion, she attended the inauguration ceremony for the Vietnamese bookcase jointly held by the COVA and the Educational Publishing House, as part of the Governments project honouring the Vietnamese language among the OVs for 2023-2030. While in France, Hang also had a meeting with representatives of Vietnamese associations in Bordeaux, during which she pledged to increase scholarships to Vietnamese children abroad to support their Vietnamese language learning. VNA/VNS USA: US President Joe Biden says it has been greatest honour to serve as he ends campaign US President Joe Biden has announced that he will end his candidacy for re-election, saying "it is in the best interest of my party and the country". It comes four months before Americans go to the polls, upending the race for the White House. It follows weeks of intense pressure from fellow Democrats after a faltering debate performance against Republican Donald Trump at the end of June. Following the announcement on Sunday evening, President Biden gave his endorsement in the presidential race to Vice President Kamala Harris. In his endorsement, he said his first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to select Ms Harris, and said its been the best decision Ive made. Kamala Harris said she would do "everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party, and unite our nation to defeat Donald Trump". In a letter posted to his social media account announcing his resignation, he said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. LIVE UPDATES: Joe Biden withdraws from US presidential race "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 to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as President for the remainder of my term," he wrote in his statement. Calls for Biden to withdraw from the race began to grow after a disastrous debate performance in late June against Donald Trump. During the debate he was criticised for often being incoherent and speaking in a weak voice - something which his party claimed as down to a cold. Following it, there were growing calls from within his own party for him to stand aside, with a growing number of congressional Democrats worried his campaign would hurt their own re-election chances in November. A handful of senators, who sit in the upper chamber of Congress, also called for him to withdraw. Less than two weeks ago, President Biden hosted a summit with Nato leaders, knowing he would face intense scrutiny following his debate performance. The occasion did little to calm nerves within his own party, with him mistakenly calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as President Putin, and appearing to refer to the vice president as "Vice President Trump". While Kamala Harris has the backing of the current president, it is unclear at the moment if she will be selected unopposed as the new candidate. Along with the president, she already has the backing of former President Bill Clinton and his wife and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama, who Joe Biden served under as vice president, released a statement praising Mr Biden as "one of Americas most consequential presidents" - but did not mention Kamala Harris. Following his withdrawal on Sunday evening, the BBCs US partner network CBS reported the Democratic National Committee was holding an emergency meeting. The focus will now be on the Democratic National Convention which takes place next month in Chicago. Biden swept the primaries, meaning that the delegates representing each state at the convention were pledged to vote for him - although they will now presumably be released to vote for another candidate. To read the original news, please click HERE HA NOI Heads of state and government and leaders of parliaments and political parties of many countries and of international organisations have sent their sympathies to Viet Nam over the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong. Specifically, the CPV Central Committee, State President To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, the Vietnamese people and the Party leaders family have received condolences from Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam; President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong; King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn; Chairman of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP), Prime Minister of Mongolia Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene; King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, Vice President of the PSUV Diosdado Cabello; King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud; President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Igor Sergeenko; Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf; President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev; President of Tanzania, Chairperson of Tanzania's ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Samia Suhulu Hassan; President of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye; ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn; ruling parties, Communist parties around the world, and partner parties. In his message, the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam said that he always keeps the image of the Party General Secretary as a warm and steadfast friend with good memories in his discussions with the General Secretary, especially the meeting on the occasion of the two countries upgrading their relations to Comprehensive Partnership during his visit to Viet Nam in 2019. The Sultan affirmed the important contributions of the late General Secretary to strengthening relations between the two countries as well as his devotion to Viet Nam's socio-economic development is a lasting legacy. Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed their admiration for Trongs important contributions over decades to the Party and the nation, especially the 13 years as Party General Secretary that have contributed significantly to Viet Nams economic growth, improving people's lives. The Singaporean leaders said that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs absolute priority to Party building and anti-corruption not only creates his leadership style but also gives important directions for the reform as well as the strengthening of the Party and the State of Viet Nam. The Singaporean leaders affirmed that the General Secretary is a close friend of Singapore who made many important contributions and created a premise for establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries in 2013 and deepening the bilateral relations, towards upgrading the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in the near future. King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn praised the prestige of the General Secretary, the leader who has won the trust of the Vietnamese people and international respect, as well as his role in national construction, renewal, development and stability. In his letter, the Chairman of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene wrote that the MPP always remembers the contributions of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in developing relations and strengthening the friendship and comradeship between the two peoples and two Parties. In his message, King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hoped that the Vietnamese people will be strong and steadfast in this difficult time. The King recalled his impressions and memories with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his visit to the UK in 2013 and expressed his appreciation for the General Secretary's devotion to the Vietnamese people as well as his leadership role in promoting Viet Nam's close relations with other countries through the bamboo diplomacy policy. President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro affirmed that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a great friend of Venezuela, a tireless soldier fighting for the nation, an intellectual torch for Viet Nam's great changes. President Maduro expressed his solidarity with the Vietnamese people and affirmed the two countries' people will always stay united and cooperate. Vice President of the PSUV Diosdado Cabello sent a message of condolences to the CPV Central Committee and the people of Viet Nam. King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud cabled condolences to President To Lam. President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko extended condolences to President To Lam. Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Igor Sergeenko also sent condolences to the leader of the National Assembly and the people of Vietnamese. Meanwhile, the Head of the "White Russia" Party of Belarus Oleg Romanov sent letters of condolences to the CPV Central Committee and the family of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sent a letter of condolences to NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a letter of condolences to President To Lam. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn also sent a letter of condolences to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. President of Tanzania, Chairperson of ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Samia Suhulu Hassan; President of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye, Indian National Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and National Secretary of the French Communist Party Fabien Roussel also extended condolences messages. Chairman of the United Russia Party (URP) Dmitry Medvedev sent a letter of condolences to President To Lam. Head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Genadi Ziuganov cabled condolence to the CPV Central Committee and President To Lam. Chairman of the Socialist Political Party "A Just Russia - Patriots - For the Truth" Sergey Mironov sent a letter of condolences to Luong Cuong, permanent member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee. General Secretary of the Communist Party of India Doraisamy Raja sent a letter of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (CPI-M) sent a letter of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. General Secretary of All India Forward Bloc D. Devarajan sent a letter of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. Chairman of the Central Committee of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Shii Kazuo wrote an article to express his deep condolences to the CPV, the people of Viet Nam and the family of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Head of the International Relations Department of the Communist Party of Spain Manu Pineda sent a letter of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. Head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Communist Party of Nationalities of Spain Victor Lucas sent a letter of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Ireland James Corcoran sent a telegram of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. The Communist Party of South Africa issued a statement of condolences on the passing of the General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Brazil sent a telegram of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. President of the State of Palestine and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Switzerland Massimiliano Ay extended letters of condolences to the CPV Central Committee, the Government and the people of Viet Nam. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uruguay sent condolences to the CPV Central Committee. The Political Committee, Communist Party of Bolivia sent a message of condolences to the CPV Central Committee. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Peru Domingo Cabrera Toro, Head of the Department of International Relations of the Workers' Party of Belgium Bert De Belder sent their messages and letters of condolences to Le Hoai Trung, Head of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for External Relations. VNS HA NOI A delegation of the National Assembly (NA)'s Committee for External Relations led by its chairman Vu Hai Ha made a working visit to the Dominican Republic from July 18 to 20 as part of the NAs foreign affairs programme this year. Within the framework of the visit, the delegation met with the President of the Senate of the Dominican Republic Ricardo de los Santos, the Secretary-General of the United Left Movement Party (MIU), and the Minister of Regional Integration Policies of the Dominican Republic Jose Miguel Mejia Abreu, Minister of Energy and Mines Antonio Almonte, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Victor Ito Bisono Haza, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ruben Silie Valdez. At the meetings, Ha emphasised that the visit - the first of the Vietnamese National Assembly to the Dominican Republic - opens up a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries legislative bodies, thereby contributing to strengthening the traditional relations between the two countries. Both sides are pleased to see that the relations have developed positively and witnessed practical results. They highlighted the official opening of the embassy of the Dominican Republic in Ha Noi in February 2023 as an important milestone in the bilateral relations which was founded by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Juan Bosch. Ha emphasised that Viet Nam will always remember the valuable support of the Government, NA and people of the Dominican Republic for Viet Nam during its struggle for national independence and development. He affirmed that the Vietnamese NA will continue to support the promotion of the friendship and cooperation with the Dominican Republic. At the working sessions, the two sides shared the view that the current bilateral economic and trade of over US$100 million each year is not commensurate with the good political relations and the potential of the two countries. They agreed to strongly promoting the relations, especially in areas where both sides have strengths such as trade - investment, climate change response, digital transformation, renewable energy, culture, education, tourism while creating favourable conditions for businesses of the two countries to learn about each other's markets. Senate President Santos informed his guest that the Dominican parliament on July 18 issued a Resolution to establish the Dominican-Viet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group which is expected to boost the parliamentary cooperation between the two countries in the coming time. On this occasion, Ha expressed his thanks to the leaders of the Dominican Republic for extending their condolences to NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the Vietnamese people over the passing of the Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Ha also conveyed NA Chairman Mans greetings and invitation to the Senate President to visit Viet Nam soon. VNS HA NOI Leaders of communist and left-wing parties around the world have expressed admiration and highlighted the great contributions of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Viet Nams development. G. Devarajan, General Secretary of the All India Forward Bloc, said General Secretary Trongs tenure has left a significant imprint by the rectification of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV), the promotion of economic development, the fight against corruption, and the enhancement of welfare for the people. The leadership of the General Secretary has contributed to strengthening the ideological foundation and organisational integrity of the Party. The Party leader set forth many strategic orientations and important comprehensive policies for economic development, and supported economic reforms to maintain growth while balancing modernisation with socialist principles. Under his leadership, Viet Nam is intensively integrating into the global economy, as evidenced by numerous free trade agreements (FTAs) it has signed. According to Devarajan, one of the most notable aspects during the Party chief's tenure is the uncompromising anti-corruption campaign, he said, adding that the focus on improving living standards for the Vietnamese people, and prioritising initiatives to reduce poverty, better health care and education, and address environmental issues reflects a broader commitment to social justice. Another highlight is the proactive, diverse, and multilateral foreign policy aimed at enhancing Vietnam's international position and promoting the country's strategic partnerships with powers worldwide, he stressed, noting that Viet Nam has played an active role in the United Nations peacekeeping operations and has been a strong supporter of international norms and cooperation in issues such as climate change and sustainable development. Devarajan said the Party leader played a crucial role in intensifying relations with communist and socialist parties around the world; and made significant contributions to promoting the Vietnamese culture, using cultural diplomacy to connect Viet Nam with the world, and fostering people-to-people exchanges to nurture friendship and international cooperation. General Secretary of the Egyptian Communist Party Salah Adly Abdelhafiz extended deep condolences to the CPV Central Committee and the Vietnamese people over the passing of General Secretary Trong, saying that the inspirational leader dedicated his entire life to the cause of the Party and the nation, and the happiness of the people. He highlighted the significant contributions of the Party leader in the reform process, anti-corruption efforts, and the building of socialism in Viet Nam, affirming that under the CPVs leadership headed by General Secretary Trong, Viet Nam has achieved many great accomplishments and continues to strive for peace, stability, and development. According to the Egyptian Party leader, General Secretary Trong continuously fought for a peace, justice and legitimacy while rejecting the approaches of colonialism and imperialism. He is a loyal friend and comrade of the Arabian communist parties and people, especially Palestinians, supporting the resolution of the Palestinian issue through peaceful means, aiming for a comprehensive, fair, and lasting solution in accordance with international law and all relevant UN resolutions, in a way that ensures the legitimate interests of all stakeholders. Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Uruguay Juan Castillo emphasised that the General Secretary is a revolutionary who dedicated his entire life to the struggle for building socialism, for a free, developed, and prosperous Viet Nam. The Party leader is one of Viet Nam's leading theorists. Throughout his revolutionary career, he made significant contributions to theoretical work with numerous articles, research topics, speeches, and many important books, Castillo said. According to the Uruguayan Party leader, in his theoretical and practical proposals throughout the Vietnamese revolutionary process, the General Secretary particularly emphasised the significance of protecting the national great solidarity, preserving the culture and the Party's role, and maintaining the close-knit relationship between the Party and the people, ensuring the broadest possible participation of the masses in all aspects of life, and in combating corruption. Castillo highlighted that the two-volume book titled Vung buoc tren con uong oi moi (Steadfast on the Path of Renewal by General Secretary Trong, which was translated into Spanish, demonstrates his theoretical contributions to the world. He promised to continue promoting the Vietnamese leaders works in Latin America. General Secretary Trong has provided a vision and many ideas, as well as solutions, contributing to promoting the role of the market in the socialist economy, and the role of the State and development priorities of a socialist country. In recent years, Viet Nam has risen from a lower middle-income country to one of the 20 most dynamic economies in the world, with sustainable growth, and improvements in people's lives and all social indicators. For foreign affairs, Castillo affirmed that under the leadership of General Secretary Trong, Viet Nam's foreign policy has made a new mark, responding flexibly to current and future challenges. With the "bamboo diplomacy" policy of the Party leader, Viet Nam has expanded its relations with all countries around the world, joined in peacekeeping, integrated into the world, and promoted trade based on the principles of independence and self-reliance, he said. In his condolences over the passing of the Vietnamese Party leader, Bert De Belder, head of the Department of International Relations of the Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB), noted that his country feels a significant loss with the death of a respected leader like comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. General Secretary Trongs saying that We need a society where development is genuinely for the people, not for profit that exploits and tramples on human dignity. We need economic development coupled with social progress and fairness, not an increase in the gap between the rich and the poor, and social inequality, has become popular in Belgium, Belder said. The Party chiefs book titled Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path towards socialism in Viet Nam was also published in French and Dutch, he added. VNS HA NOI Many politicians around the world have expressed their condolences to the Party, State and people of Vietnam over the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, and praised the role and contributions by the deceased to Viet Nam and the communist movement, the progressive world and left-wing politics globally. Showing his grief at the Vietnamese leaders passing, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that it leaves a huge void. The leader told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's vision of maintaining strategic autonomy and promoting good governance in Viet Nam resonated deeply with himself personally when he met the leader in his official visit to Viet Nam in July 2023. The Vietnamese Party leader's foresight on the relationship between Viet Nam and Malaysia will remain long, he said, stressing that Trong's legacy will inspire future generations in Viet Nam and across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, in his letter of condolences to President To Lam, Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam underscored that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's dedication to the fight against corruption is a decisive factor in his leadership role. The leader had a steadfast belief in Viet Nam's potential and worked tirelessly to ensure that the Party and Government of Viet Nam are in the best position to realise it, wrote the Singaporean President. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated that throughout his decades-long career, including 13 years as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Trong's leadership greatly contributed to promoting Viet Nam's rapid economic growth and improving people's living conditions. In an interview granted to the VNA in New Delhi, former Deputy National Security Advisor of India Satyendra Pradhan described Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as a witted and experienced political leader and a strategic theorist. He is also a benevolent leader who cared about the welfare of his people, said Pradhan, adding that the General Secretary's contributions to redefining the relationship between ideology, economic issues, foreign policy, people's welfare and the activities of the CPV are remarkable, including an anti-corruption campaign implemented with significant results. Pradhan held that Trong made significant theoretical contributions to the Party by introducing much-needed reforms. Decision 244-QD/TW was a step to eliminate the monopoly of veteran members of the Politburo in nominating new members, he noted, stating that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made an important move to democratise the system without diluting the ideological foundation. Another remarkable contribution of the Party leader is in the field of economy, Pradhan said. Trong once said that the market economy itself cannot destroy socialism. But to build socialism successfully, it is necessary to develop the market economy fully and properly, noted the former Indian official. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong provided a model that other countries should follow, which is granting certain freedom to market development and this has led to the establishment of a socialist-oriented market economy, said Pradhan. He noted that since 2016, Viet Nam's economy has improved significantly, with a stable annual growth rate at about 7 per cent. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate still reached 3 per cent . This is truly a miracle, he commented. Pradhan asserted that the Trongs leadership played a key role in determining approaches to international and regional issues, adding his assessments of the current international environment are realistic and his proposals are based on realism, demonstrated through the term of "bamboo diplomacy". Although Viet Nam has been taking a flexible and soft diplomacy to be suitable to all poles in the multipolar world, the policy is still closely tied to broader national interests towards peace and economic growth of the country and region. Viet Nam's foreign policy aims to maintain independence to protect the interest of the nation and people, making the best use of available opportunities and diplomacy to promote the interests of Vietnamese people, Pradhan stated. He commented that Viet Nams bamboo diplomacy has brought about many benefits. Today it has good relations with all other countries, while gradually making moves towards peace in the region, he said, adding that Viet Nam's role in ASEAN and at the UN Security Council has significantly enhanced the country's stature. In the recent past, Viet Nam welcomed three important leaders in the world - Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and US President Joe Biden. This reflects the success of the bamboo diplomacy, which has also helped deepen Viet Nams relationships with other countries, thereby improving people-to-people relations and human development in general, stated the former Indian official. From Havana, Hero of the Republic of Cuba and President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Fernando Gonzalez Llort affirmed that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a leader of great theoretical and practical significance, who made huge contributions to the global revolutionary cause with a political ideology along the path to socialism. The ICAP President underlined that staunch communist Nguyen Phu Trong worked tirelessly to strengthen the traditional relationship between the peoples of Cuba and Viet Nam. He was always by Cuba's side during the most difficult times and spared no efforts to support the people of this brotherly island nation in all political and economic situations, he said. The Cuban hero affirmed that in the hearts of the Cuban people, the image of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is always bold with simplicity, humility, noble personality, and wise leadership ability, who steered the boat of the Communist Party of Viet Nam through obstacles on its way to consolidating socialism and fighting for national development and modernisation. He commented that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is an excellent disciple of President Ho Chi Minh, who always upheld President Ho Chi Minhs ideological guidelines as well as his wishes for the future through training and educating new generations, showing the qualities of world-class politicians. VNS HA NOI Having worked at the Communist Review, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong understood well that "Journalism is a noble profession, yet extremely arduous". He always paid special attention to news agencies and encouraged generations of Vietnamese revolutionary journalists to perform their tasks diligently, inspiring people from all walks of life and igniting the national development desire in every Vietnamese citizen. Having worked for nearly 30 years at the Communist Review, Trong was a sharp and erudite theoretical writer. Journalist Trong always paid special attention to press information work in general. He always created favourable conditions for the group of reporters assigned special tasks to cover news about him, said Nguyen Su, VNA reporter who is a member of the task force. On business trips, he often spent a few rare minutes between breaks and went to the back of the meeting room to talk to the reporters in a friendly and witty manner. His style of speaking or communicating was always concise, logical, strict with simple and easy-to-understand language facilitated us to convey accurate information to the public," Su said. "He took the time to edit and give us comments on some important articles and interviews to ensure journalistic language standards. VNS Moscow General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong was a prestigious Party leader who devoted himself wholeheartedly to the nations prosperity and happiness, according to First Vice Chairman of the Russia Viet Nam Friendship Association Petr Tsvetov. Sending his deepest condolences to the Vietnamese people and CPV members over the passing of the General Secretary, Tsvetov, a researcher on Viet Nam for years, told the Viet Nam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Moscow that the Party chief impressed him as a theorist with sharp mind whose extensive knowledge and considerable experiences contributed greatly to the theory on building socialism in Viet Nam. He elaborated that his writings on the essence of the countrys socialist revolution, oi moi (renewal) process, construction of the rule-of-law state, and bamboo diplomacy have laid a theoretical basis for the Vietnamese Party and State to develop the nation. One of his outstanding legacies, Tsvetov said, is the bamboo diplomacy, adding bamboo with strong roots, sturdy stems and resilience demonstrates Viet Nam's foreign policy which is to safeguard the nations independence and resilience, and protect the peoples interests. According to the Russian expert, General Secretary Trong was both a great leader and theorist of the Vietnamese revolution. He laid a stress on the leading role of the CPV chief, saying he impacted various institutions and social classes, as well as took on a great responsibility for each development phase of the nation. He went on to say that General Secretary Trongs meetings with foreign leaders made important contributions to the nations foreign affairs, highlighting the Vietnamese late leader paid many trips to Russia, and held talks with the countrys highest-ranking leaders which helped promote the ties between the two countries. He recalled the Vietnamese Party chiefs last visit to Russia in 2018 during which he attended the ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Russia-Viet Nam Friendship Association, and presented it with a first-class Labour Order. The Party leader also delivered a speech that underscored the roles of the relations between the two countries' people and the significance of the people-to-people diplomacy, he said, adding it left a lasting impression on participants. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Israel Viet Nam Friendship Association Eyal Buvilski expressed his condolences over the demise of the Vietnamese leader. He told VNA's reporters that, having wholeheartedly devoting to the nation, General Secretary Trong has helped Viet Nam obtain significant economic achievements and enhance its position on the international arena. During his tenures, Viet Nam Israel ties have been improved, with the two nations witnessing major advancements in various cooperation domains, he said. Buvilski, who lived in Viet Nam from 2001 to 2003 when the CPV set many visionary and dreamy targets, said the Partys dreams come true, attributing the countrys success to the contributions by the late Party chief. VNS VIENTIANE Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a visionary leader and an ingenious and clear-minded diplomat who always valued relationships with countries worldwide, former Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith told Vietnam News Agency reporters in Vientiane on Monday. The former Lao leader extended condolences and expressed sorrow over the passing of the Vietnamese Party chief, calling him the closest friend of the Lao Party, State and people. Vorachith praised Trong as a revolutionary leader and a resilient communist of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, who dedicated his entire life to revolutionary activities and the cause of national liberation, reunification and renewal of the Communist Party of Viet Nam. Trong played a crucial role in preserving and fostering the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Viet Nam, Vorachith said, adding that his efforts have yielded substantial results and practical benefits for the people of both countries. He highlighted the ingenuity and insight of "diplomat" Trong, reflected via how he skillfully directed Viet Nams foreign policy toward a "bamboo diplomacy" approach, successfully balancing relations with all countries. Notably, the promotion of Laos-Viet Nam-Cambodia relations through high-level meetings of their leaders has elevated the political ties among the three countries and advanced their state-to-state relations in the new era. These efforts have enhanced the role and reputation of the Vietnamese Party and State on the global and regional stages. VNS HCM CITY Authorities in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta have tightened safety measures for inland waterway transport for the ongoing rainy season. The delta, which comprises 12 provinces and Can Tho City, has a dense river and canal network, which plays a major role in transporting people and goods. Tien Giang Province has an important waterway route between My Thuan Bridge and the sea through the Cho Gao Canal. The 132-km waterway has strong flows, which cause a high risk of accidents during the rainy season when there are also strong winds and storms. The canal is 28km long and has many ferry stations and thousands of vessels berthing there every day. The provinces Traffic Safety Committee has called on competent agencies to thoroughly check safety conditions at the stations and wharves, their compliance with regulations related to life-saving and rescue equipment and the number of passengers vessels allowed to transport. Nguyen Van Dung, head of the province traffic police, said his agency had implemented comprehensive measures to ensure waterway traffic safety, prevent accidents and mitigate the impacts caused by rains and storms. It proactively monitored the weather to take prompt measures to secure waterway safety and propagated legal regulations to ensure owners of passenger and cargo vessels comply with them, he said. There was one waterway traffic accident in the first five months of the year in which one person died. The delta is expected to have bad weather during this rainy season, and the traffic police in its 12 provinces and Can Tho City have stepped up checks to ensure waterway safety and propagation of regulations to the public. In Tra Vinh Province, they regularly check vessels and advise people using them to wear life vests. Duong Van Hoai, a resident of Tra Vinh Citys Long uc Commune, said most people living near the Co Chien River in his commune earn a living from fishing. The traffic police routinely advise people travelling by boat to wear life vests to secure their safety. The rainy season coincides with school summer vacations and many children go out to play and use waterway transport, and so boat owners and parents have to remind them to wear life vests, according to the traffic police division. Nguyen Van Hai, its head, said the police would maintain three special inspection groups to uncover and handle violations. Can Tho advocates safety regulations at waterway transport sites, including ferry stations and floating markets, and inspects their operations. In May its administration checked the Cai Rang floating market, one of the citys most well-known tourism destinations, and gave away life jackets to small traders at the floating market. Local authorities across the delta inspect routes that have a high risk of accidents and suspend the operation of vessels that fail to comply with safety regulations. Bui Trung Kien, head of the Bac Lieu Province traffic police, said inspection teams would inspect and penalise violations that are often the direct causes of traffic accidents such as unlicensed passenger wharves, illegal construction in waterways safety corridors and fishing activities that obstruct transport. Waterway transport vehicles which lack the prescribed safety equipment, exceed their authorised passenger and cargo capacity or have unlicensed pilots will be severely penalised. VNS QUANG TRI Peace is a prerequisite for humanity to exist and pursue happiness. That was the opening statement from former State Vice President and also Honorary Chairwoman of the Viet Nam Peace and Development Fund (VPDF) Nguyen Thi Binh at an international conference held on Monday in Quang Tri central province. She told the assembled audience that in peace, people can dream of having everything, but in war, people only desire one thing: peace. The conference is a response to the Festival for Peace 2024. It aims to share lessons and messages about the Vietnamese people's values and aspirations for peace and suggest initiatives to help build peace globally. Preserving and protecting peace is the common responsibility of all humanity, all countries and each of us, said Binh. Having gone through many resistant wars for national independence and unification, Viet Nam especially appreciates the value of peace, and always actively calls for people around the world to respect, protect and strive to create a peaceful world. Deputy Chairman of the Quang Tri Peoples Committee Hoang Nam said that Quang Tri carried the nation's eternal desire for peace, once strongly and deeply shaking the conscience of peace-loving humanity. And for a long time, Quang Tri has become a destination of gratitude, a common symbol of the nation's desire for peace. It is a destination for international friends to share and honour the value of peace, he said. Nam said he hoped that scholars and delegates attending the conference would advise the province on the next steps to continue writing the story of peace on this land so that Quang Tri can truly become a space of peace, a destination for peace of domestic and international tourists. During the conference, speakers presented values of peace as well as initiatives to build world peace. Representatives agreed that preventing wars and protecting peace was the urgent task of all peace-loving forces around the world. They suggested promoting inclusive collective security mechanisms to resolve disputes, prevent conflicts, and maintain peace in regions. They also wanted to enhance disarmament to replace the arms race and promote cooperation instead of confrontation and antagonism. In that mission, the voices of the people and social organisations play a very important role. Regarding peacebuilding initiatives, delegates emphasised the importance of having as many partners as possible to create a united alliance to support Viet Nam in general and Quang Tri Province in particular, heal war wounds, and create a safer future of development in peace. From the experiences of Viet Nam and Quang Tri, experts said that it was necessary to build trust and value dialogues so that messages of peace would become daily themes and inspire cooperation and mutual prosperity. They desired to build a city for peace on the land of Quang Tri, starting from creating trust, to write wishes for world peace. VNS The Tam Sinh Nghia waste-to-energy project is Bamboo Capital Group's (BCG) first since it ventured into the sector. The move follows the acquisition of Tam Sinh Nghia Investment Development JSC by BCG Energy on January 31. The first phase of the project is valued at of VND6.4 trillion ($252.6 million) and will have the capacity to incinerate 2,000 to 2,600 tonnes of waste per day. The project will have a daily power generation capacity of 60MW per cent, meeting the electricity demand of 100,000 households. It aims to cut 257,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. In the second phase, the facility will boast a daily processing capability of 6,000 tonnes per day with an investment capital of VND7 trillion ($276.3 million). With a daily power generation capacity of 130MW, the project will meet the electricity demand of 220,000 households. Expansions in the third phase could see the plant's capacity surge to 8,000 tonnes per day, with power output potentially hitting 200MW. Tam Sinh Nghia specialises in waste management in Ho Chi Minh City, Long An and Kien Giang provinces. The company has obtained licences to apply waste-to-energy technology to plants located in the municipal city and Long An. The plant is expected to treat 2025 per cent of Ho Chi Minh City's daily waste using cutting-edge technologies, with the energy converted from waste being used for production and business activities. Ho Chi Minh City discharged 9,800 tonnes of domestic waste daily in 2023. This figure can reach up to 11,000 tonnes during peak holiday periods. Meanwhile, Vietnam is one of the top 20 largest producers of waste in the world, discharging approximately 60,000 tonnes of rubbish each day, higher than the world average, with approximately 60 per cent coming from urban areas. Solid waste is one of the most serious environmental problems in Vietnam, growing on average at 6 per cent per year in the 20212030 period. The increasing amount of waste has led to a rise in the use of landfills, causing more pollutants to be released into the environment. BCG Energy enters 'waste-to-energy' sector BCG Energy, the renewable energy subsidiary of the Bamboo Capital Group, signed a share purchase agreement on January 31 with Tam Sinh Nghia Investment Development JSC, a company specialising in waste management in Ho Chi Minh City. From waste to wealth: circular economic prospects As environmental concerns rise and resources deplete, businesses and individuals need to shift towards a new model of consumption which can support the economy and help the planet: the circular economy. Tim Evans, CEO of HSBC Vietnam, looks at the possibilities as well as the challenges that everyone should be aware of. Chinese industry body urges EU to seek balanced solution in BEV probe Xinhua) 09:04, July 22, 2024 This file photo taken on June 6, 2024 shows an electric car at a charging station near the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) "Trade defense measures will harm all sides involved. The strength and growth of the EU and Chinese BEV industries lie in collaboration, not conflict," said Shi Yonghong, vice president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products. BRUSSELS, July 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese industry body has urged the European Commission to amend its unlawful findings in the anti-subsidy probe into Chinese battery electric vehicles (BEVs), expressing hope that a balanced solution can be reached to avoid harm to both parties. "Trade defense measures will harm all sides involved. The strength and growth of the EU and Chinese BEV industries lie in collaboration, not conflict," Shi Yonghong, vice president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME), told a press conference in Brussels on Friday. The CCCME represents 12 Chinese BEV exporting producers, including three sampled producers individually investigated by the Commission. OBJECTIVITY, FAIRNESS UNDERMINED On July 4, the European Commission introduced provisional additional tariffs of up to 37.6 percent on Chinese BEV makers. The Commission alleged that the decision was based on the investigation concluding that the Chinese BEV value chain benefits from subsidies, causing a threat of economic injury to EU producers. Shi noted that the determination is "unlawful," with the low representativeness of the samples in the investigation compromising the objectivity of the analysis. Instead of choosing exporting producers with the largest export volumes to the EU, the Commission selected three Chinese BEV manufacturers that collectively account for 39 percent of the total Chinese export volume to the EU, and an EU sample, which represents only 30 percent in production and 32 percent in sales, according to Shi. He noted that the Commission overlooked imports of foreign-branded BEVs from China into the EU, which constitute about 70 percent of Chinese BEVs by quantity, saying that it violates the obligation of "positive evidence" and "objective examination" in price comparisons. "We urge the Commission to strictly abide by the laws of the World Trade Organization and the EU and conduct this investigation in a manner of objectivity, fairness, and transparency," Shi said. INNOVATION FUELS GROWTH, NOT SUBSIDIES Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that China's production and sales of new energy vehicles grew over 30 percent year-on-year in the first six months of 2024, and the market share of new energy vehicles in China had reached 35.2 percent by the end of June. An aerial panoramic drone photo taken on July 11, 2023 shows new energy vehicles for export at a terminal of Taicang Port, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Photo by Ji Haixin/Xinhua) Speaking of the meteoric growth of the Chinese BEV industry, Shi said the success of the Chinese BEV industry derives from technological innovation, a robust supply chain, and full competition. Wei Wenqing, deputy secretary general of the association, said at the press conference that the Chinese government established two targets for passenger vehicle companies: reducing fuel consumption in traditional automobiles and advancing the development of new energy vehicles. According to Wei, credit incentives and penalties have effectively motivated companies to upgrade their technology. "It is hoped that the European side will face up to the facts that China's competitive advantage in electric vehicles does not come from subsidies," Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian said last week. FAIR COMPETITION BREEDS MUTUAL ADVANCEMENT Following the EU's announcement of imposing provisional duties on imports of Chinese BEVs, EU member states and the vehicle industry voiced concerns and criticism regarding the decision. "The negative effects of this decision outweigh any benefits for the European, and especially the German automotive industry," Volkswagen stressed. Wei pointed out that open competition and free trade would promote the progress of the local automotive industry, as evidenced by the history of China's automotive development. "European brands such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi all occupy a dominant position in the Chinese imported car market, and the Chinese automotive firms were boosted by and emerged from the intense competition," Wei said. Looking ahead, there are still broad prospects for cooperation between the EU and China in fields such as technology and research and development, according to Shi. "China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners with extensive common interests," Shi said, urging the Commission to take into consideration the overall interests of the EU and China. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race after a growing list of Democratic lawmakers called on him to quit, following last month's disastrous debate performance and a flurry of public missteps, leaving Democrats scrambling to elect a worthy candidate as the party's nominee. Biden's announcement follows a rough few weeks for the president, who was forced last weewk to cut a campaign event in Las Vegas short, following a COVID-19 diagnosis the same day California Rep. Adam Schiff also publicly called for him to step aside. Schiff is the most prominent Democrat so far to appeal for Biden to abandon his seemingly dimming campaign. Similar cries for Biden to pass the torch gained traction last week, a day after he mistakenly referred to Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin," and Vice President Kamala Harris as "Donald Trump" during NATO events in Washington, D.C. "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 said in a statement. "I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision," Biden said on X. It was an unprecedented development; no other presidential candidiate in recent history has quit this late in the race. During a press conference earlier this month, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre vowed Biden would "absolutely not" withdraw from the race, despite dismal feedback and a growing number of calls within the Democratic party for him to step down, following his unimpressive debate against Donald Trump in Atlanta, a week prior. "He has had the opportunity to talk to supporters," Jean-Pierre told reporters, adding that the president has "talked about how he understands that [the debate] was not his best night and that it is fair for people to ask that question." "He has the most historic record and administration in modern politics. That should matter and he wants to continue to do that work," she said. Concerns surrounding Biden's ability to defeat Trump, coupled with his age, health and capacity to carry out the presidential duties for another term have grown louder. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas and Rep. Jared Golden of Maine became the first members of the party in Congress to suggest Biden drop out of the race. Vice President Kamala Harris is seen as a top contender to replace Biden. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are also being floated as replacements. On July 19, Nguyen Anh Tuan, Secretary of Bac Ninh Party Committee, held a meeting with Bang Seung Ho, chairman of Phillips, about the investment opportunities in the locality. "The group is paying special attention to the manufacturing strategy of high-quality, eco-friendly EVs, EV batteries, and e-bikes to serve the demand in South Korea and countries in the region," Ho said. Lauding the potential and investment opportunities in Bac Ninh, he further noted, "The group will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the manufacturing factory in the locality. Hopefully, the local authorities will create better conditions for the group to research and implement the project." The products will be rolled out into the Vietnamese market soon, so that Phillips can access the potential of the domestic market for factory development. The factory's products will be sold in Vietnam and exported to South Korea and the global market, he added. In response, Tuan committed to providing support for investors including Phillips when making investments and doing business efficiently in the province. He added that there are 2,350 projects from 41 countries and territories investing in Bac Ninh. Among them, South Korea is the largest foreign investor, with 100 valid projects and a total investment of $14.7 billion, accounting for 60 per cent of the province's total foreign direct investment (FDI) capital. Many South Korean conglomerates are manufacturing and doing business in the province, such as Samsung, Intops, Hanwha Techwin, Amkor, Hana Micron, CrucialTec, and Hyosung. "South Korean companies are expanding their reach into new industries such as semiconductors, clean energy, construction, real estate, retail, and distribution. There is ample room to increase FDI influxes from South Korea to Bac Ninh," he said. South Korean groups invited to expand further in Vietnam Vietnam is set to welcome bigger investments from South Korea following an official visit by a Vietnamese top leader to this East Asian nation, where both countries have made fresh commitments to boost their trade and investment ties. Vietnam to receive billions of dollars from South Korea Do Nhat Hoang, director general of the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, has announced that Vietnam is set to receive a significant investment influx from South Korea, amounting to tens of billions of USD. Israel will continue killing Hamas leaders responsible for the deadly Oct. 7 surprise attacks that sparked the latest Mideast war, the head of its military vowed. "We aren't stopping, we are not stopping fighting," Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said in a nearly 10-minute video posted on YouTube on Sunday. Halevi said Israeli forces were "operating in the entire Gaza Strip with various methods of combat" and accomplished "significant military achievements" in Rafah, where it launched an offensive opposed by the U.S. in May. Halevi, who spoke in Hebrew in front of a pair of drones, made the remarks after Israel said it targeted Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif and a subordinate, Rafa Salama, in an airstrike against Gaza on Saturday. The Gaza Health Ministry said the massive attack killed at least 91 Palestinians and wounded 300 in a designated humanitarian zone, and Hamas said Deif wasn't in the area at the time. "It is still too early to conclude the results of the strike, which Hamas is trying to hide," Halevi said, according to an official transcript. "We are determined to continue and pursue senior Hamas officials, those who planned and carried out the October 7th Massacre and dedicated their lives to the murder of innocent civilians." Despite saying it was unclear whether Deif was killed, Halevi spoke as if he were dead and downplayed the collateral casualties. "Mohammed Deif was afraid to die, so he hid in a way that even damaged his ability to command," Halevi said. "He hid and sacrificed with him his people and civilians who were in the area, who were in danger, very few of whom were harmed. We found him, we will also find those next in line." Halevi also said the Israeli military was engaged in "high intensity combat in the north" against Hezbollah militants and was "ready and preparing for the next stage in Lebanon," which he didn't detail. About 1,200 people in Israel were killed by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 and more than 38,000 people have been killed by the Israeli military in Gaza since then, with the Gaza Health Ministry saying the toll included more than 15,000 children. Hamas kidnapped more than 240 people in Israel on Oct. 7 and only 50 of the 120 still being held hostage in Gaza are believed to still be alive, the Wall Street Journal reported last month, citing U.S. officials familiar with the latest intelligence. Former UW-Madison student Brian Peck had a strong heart. Thats how his younger brother, Colin Peck, a UW-Madison senior studying computer engineering, describes him. An adoring older brother, Brian nurtured a love of technology in Colin similar to his own and had a summer internship lined up at Medtronic, a Minneapolis-based global medical device company, where he thought he could improve peoples lives through technology. But Brian never got the chance to fulfill that internship. He died in December 2019 from sudden cardiac arrest as he studied for his last final exam of the semester. An otherwise healthy 20-year-old UW-Madison biomedical engineering student, Brian had unknowingly developed arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, after a recent bout with a virus scarred his heart tissue. Five years later, Colin is taking up the mantle in his brothers honor, interning in Medtronics cardiac rhythm management department, where he works with devices that might have saved his brothers life. Colin primarily deals with ensuring devices meet European Union standards and has developed an interest in the return products lab, which investigates what went wrong with devices and why. I like to picture that (Brian is) my mentor here, as he could have been if he was still here. And I see him in everything I do here, Colin said. As an intern, I can only do so much, but I know it goes a long way and it reaches that bigger picture. Its an honor to be able to contribute to this cause, and I know Brian would be proud of me. Colin reached out to Medtronic for a summer internship after recalling the way the company reacted to Brians death. Brian hadnt officially worked there, but the company still contacted the Peck family to offer condolences, which the family found moving, Colin said. When Colin was assigned to the cardiac rhythm management division, he was overcome with emotion. It wasnt the first time Colin was working for heart health: After Brians death, Colin had helped organize EKG drives at his high school, sharing the story of losing his brother to arrhythmia. But getting assigned to the cardiac rhythm management department was a lightbulb moment for Colin: Like his big brother, hed wanted to find a way to improve the lives of others. This was how he could do it. Becky Kieffer, senior manager for Medtronics early careers team, said she sat in both Brian and Colins internship interviews. Four years apart, she remembers both Peck brothers were focused and had clear plans for themselves in what they wanted to do. As an intern, Colin has turned grief to growth as he builds a legacy for Brian, Kieffer said. During the interview process, Colins dedication and passion really stood out, obviously because of his experience with his brother, Kieffer said. His commitment to carrying forward his brothers legacy was just extremely inspiring and deeply moving, and weve continued to see that passion throughout the internship ... were really, really fortunate to have him here and really grateful to have him. Brotherly love The Peck brothers had a rule for themselves once Brian left for college: Neither was to come through the door or leave without giving the other a hug. Brian was back home in Orland Park, Illinois, for Thanksgiving break in 2019, less than a month before he died. With Brian still asleep as Colin was leaving for high school, Colin debated: Should he wake his brother up to give him a hug before he left? Brian would be headed back to UW-Madison that day and wouldnt be there when Colin came home. So, Colin woke up Brian, to give the last embrace the two brothers would ever share. Weeks later, the Peck family was in Madison to pack up Brians belongings, without Brian. Among them, the family found Brians backpack, filled with cores, wires and resistors. It was just an engineering mess in there, Colin said with a loving laugh. But thats who Brian was, Colin said. Brian loved technology so much that as a teenager, he wired up his tablet to his car to effectively make an early model CarPlay device, and his Christmas presents to Colin would be introductory circuit board kits. And during last Thanksgiving weekend the Peck brothers had spent together, theyd sat up one night into the early morning hours talking about technology, artificial intelligence and how it would shape society, and the futures they saw for each other. Brian would just never know how much he impacted his brothers. I do think about him a lot, especially when Im working here, and seeing the differences and impacts Im making definitely reminds me that Im in the right place, Colin said. Authorities say they've found a 70-year-old man safe after he went missing last Friday on a trail in Placer County. "A heartfelt thank you to all the search and rescue teams who tirelessly assisted from across the state. We are also immensely grateful to Jeepers Jamboree for their support and hospitality extended to our search teams. They provided food, drinks, and a place to camp overnight," Placer County Sheriff's Office says in a Facebook online post. Deputies say Warren Elliott walked away from his group that was rehabbing the Rubicon 4x4 trail ahead of the Jeepers Jamboreee. Elliott was last seen on the Rubicon Trail wearing a blue denim short sleeve shirt and blue denim shorts. Nearly 50 trained searchers, representing several agencies and groups, including two drone operators and four dog teams searchied for him. They include California National Guard, Nevada National Guard, Cal OES Search and Rescue, Civil Air Patrol, Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit, California Rescue Dog Association, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. Sacramento County Sheriffs Office UAS (drones), Alpine County Sheriffs Department & Search and Rescue, Marin County Sheriffs Office & Search and Rescue, Nevada County Sheriffs Office Incident Command Support & Search and Rescue, San Mateo County Sheriffs Office & Search and Rescue, Solano County Sheriffs Office & Search and Rescue. Former President Donald Trump used his first campaign rally since being named this year's Republican presidential nominee to repeat the apparently false claim that he was once named Michigan's "man of the year." During a Saturday appearance in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Trump claimed he received the award "years ago" when "they gave me, in Michigan, the man of the year." "That was long before I was a politician. I was a business guy. I did well. I liked the state, but I don't know," he said. "I heard, 'Man of the year, Michigan.' I said, 'That's cool. That's good. I'm going to make that trip.'" Trump added, "I didn't know why they were giving it to me, nothing, but they were giving it to me for, I guess, the fact that I employed a lot of people, I did real well." Following Trump's remarks, CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale said, "The answer is that they, whoever they are, did not do that." "There is no sign that this award actually exists, let alone that Donald Trump actually got it," he said. Dale also said this year's campaign marked the "third consecutive presidential election in which Donald Trump has claimed to have been named the man of the year in Michigan." "We've asked a series of three consecutive Trump campaigns no evidence provided whatsoever. It just did not happen," he added. In 2019, CNN said Trump had made the claim at least six times since the launch of his 2016 campaign. Also in 2019 former Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Trott of Michigan said he believes that Trump was mistakenly referring to a 2013 event when he gave the keynote address at the Oakland County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner and was given a plaque. Photos show that Trott, who chaired the event, handed Trump a tie, a statuette of Abraham Lincoln and a large, framed copy of the Gettysburg address, according to the MLive news website. "There was no Michigan man of the year award," Trott told Crain's Detroit Business in 2019. "There was certainly nothing like that bestowed upon him." Trott was also present during a 2017 roundtable discussion in Ypsilanti, Michigan, when then-President Trump claimed to have been given Michigan's man of the year award "about five or six years ago" before asking Trott, "Is that right?" Crain's said. Trott replied, "Great speech," according to Crain's. Trott, who left Congress the following year, told Crain's he didn't feel comfortable correcting Trump, saying: "You see what happens to people who do that." On July 24th, you need no excuse to savor the flavors of Clase Azul all over the city. While tequilas history goes back hundreds of years, Clase Azul has spent more than the last 25 perfecting the quintessential Mexican spirit in both taste and style. Inspired by Mexicos rich legacy and the desire to share the magic of Mexico with the world, today the brand boasts five tequilas in its portfolio of iconsplenty of reason to celebrate. In honor of National Tequila Day, here are four SF spots where you can enjoy Clase Azul in inventive cocktails or on its own. Clase Azul Tequila Reposado is paired with Tequila Plata in Movida's Triple M. (Courtesy of Clase Azul) Movida Two cultures come together to create the perfect summer cocktailand a great vibe. The Triple M blends Movidas signature Persian and Mexican flavors, pairing Persian melon, habanero, aloe vera, and lime oleo with both Clase Azul Tequila Plata and Clase Azul Tequila Reposado for a little bit of fire and nice. // Movida, 555 2nd St. (SoMa), movidalounge.com Hazies Why choose one? Try a Clase Azul tequila flight for yourself or the table and journey through three classicsClase Azul Tequila Gold, Clase Azul Tequila Reposado, and Clase Azul Tequila Platato discover your new go-to. // Hazies, 501 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), haziessf.com Lime, ancho verde, club soda, and a cherry float compliment Clase Azul Tequila Plata in the Hanoi Tango from Bodega. (Courtesy of Clase Azul) Bodega The Vietnamese cuisine at Matthew Hos Bodega offers a full spectrum of flavor, making the tequila pairing possibilities endless. Keep things simple with a Clase Azul tequila of your choice neat or on the rocks. Or try the Hanoi Tango, featuring a salted pluminfused Clase Azul Tequila Plata with lime, ancho verde, club soda, and a cherry float. // Bodega, 138 Mason St. (Tenderloin), bodegarestaurants.com MKT Restaurant and Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Whether youre there to ogle the 180-degree views of downtown at the bar or sit down for a feast of sustainable California-style fare, the bar at MKT is ready with a selection of Clase Azul tequilas to enjoy neat, on the rocks, or in a range of refreshing cocktails. Stay on the lookout for a special pairing dinner featuring Clase Azul master distiller Viridiana Tinoco coming in September. // MKT Restaurant and Bar, 757 Market St. (SoMa), fourseasons.com // Explore Clase Azuls complete collection at claseazul.com . Clase Azul Tequila Gold is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks to stand on its own or in a cocktail at MKT. (Courtesy of Clase Azul) Live-streaming video cameras of rattlesnake rookeries are surprising scientists with new discoveries about the slithering moms-to-be that gather by the hundreds to give birth in the "mega dens" in Colorado and California. For one thing, researchers have discovered that the snakes sometimes share child-care of their "pups." The young stay in the dens with their mothers until they venture out on their own, Dickinson College biology professor Scott Boback, who co-leads Project RattleCam, explained in an NPR interview. In another surprise, Boback has witnessed the snake flatten, then coil their bodies into a kind of "teacup" to collect rainwater. They then turn their heads to sip from the "cup." Boback said he's particularly pleased by comments by the snake-watching community who often notice details the researchers may not. A number of them have spotted certain patterns on individual snakes that help identify them. "They're identifying individual snakes, and they can identify unique features on an individual and name the snake. That allows us to move forward in tracking individuals," he told NPR. Watchers are also coming up with "the funnest of names" in the project's snake-naming contests, he noted, mentioning "Mr. Snaky Pants." The project has posted several video highlights here. The Colorado live cam can be seen here: This is the den in California: Democrats who have been named as potential replacement candidates praised President Joe Biden's decision to drop his reelection bid Sunday as former President Donald Trump bitterly condemned him as "never" fit for office. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called Biden a "great public servant," and said his move showed he "knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump." His "remarkable work to lower prescription drug costs, fix the damn roads, bring supply chains home, address climate change, and ensure America's global leadership over decades will go down in history," Whitmer wrote on X. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Biden will "go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents." "President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans," Newsom wrote on X. Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic nominee to run against Trump, saying that picking her as his 2020 running mate was the "best decision I've made." Trump, who briefly tempered his criticism of Biden during last week's Republican National Convention, resurrected his insulting nickname for Biden while blasting his immigration policies and saying the country "will suffer greatly because of his presidency." "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for president, and is certainly not fit to serve And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement," Trump said on Truth Social. Trump also claimed that everyone around Biden, "including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn't capable of being President, and he wasn't." Bella Hadid, the vocal pro-Palestinian model was dropped out of an ad campaign for retro sneakers with reference to the 1972 Munich Olympics by Adidas, obscured by the massacre to the Israeli athletes. Adidas has launched again the SL72 which is a shoe displayed by the athletes at the 1972 Olympics, as a constituent of a series renewing the old classic sneakers. A German police officer and as many as eleven Israeil athletes lost their lives at the Munich Games of 1972 post gunmen belonging to the Palestinian Black September Group breaking into the Olympic village and taking them captive. It was stated by Adidas that the rest of the campaign would be revised by it with immediacy. On Friday, in a statement to AFP, the company said: We are aware that tragedic historical events have some connections between them, inspite of them being fully unintended and we are sorry for any anguish that has been caused." It was confirmed by a spokeswoman that Hadid was dropped out from the campaign, noting that the first introduction of the shoes were in the year 1972. However it never makes a mention about the terror attack on the Israeli athletes. Hadid was born in the US with Palestinian roots because of her father. She has voiced out her support for Palestinian rights since the time of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which led to the Gaza war. It is a busy time for news channels, especially business news channels as there are hectic preparations for the presentation of the Union Budget 2024-25 on July 23. In conversation with Adgully, Shereen Bhan, Managing Editor, CNBC-TV18, gives an indepth look at the behind-the scenes preparation for the Budget coverage and the special programming lined-up to offer an all-inclusive comprehension of the budget to its audiences from the industrys movers and shakers to the common citizen. After the interim budget earlier this year, how is CNBC-TV18 gearing up for the first Budget of the Modi 3.0 Government? Could you tell us about your special programming around the Budget? CNBC-TV18 has 25 years experience of covering the Budget in real-time. This, I think, gives us a certain advantage, expertise, and specialization that nobody else enjoys, at least across television media. Weve always attempted to be innovative as far as our budget programming is concerned, and over the years, we have evolved our programming to include different constituencies to make it much more relevant to not just the industry, but also from a citizens perspective, from a students perspective. Going beyond how the budget impacts you, our effort has also been about explain what the budget means to us as citizens, what it means broadly for the Indian economy and the nation. So, there has been a two-pronged approach to our strategy. One is decoding the fine print of the budget in real-time for our audience, but at the same time presenting the bigger picture of how the needle moves for the countrys balance sheet. We had a significant programming effort even for the interim budget, even though that is typically just a vote on account. But since it was the last vote on account of the previous government, the expectation was that maybe there could have been a policy direction articulated by the Finance Minister, but it was a short and sweet budget. So, this time around, we brought in some new elements as far as our programming is concerned. In fact, just today we had our CNBC-TV18 Market Town Hall, because if you look at the way that the markets have performed, India has been one of the best-performing markets globally. There is a lot of interest in the Indian equity market story at this point, and the markets are reacting to the possibility of what the budget will bring forth. We had put together some of the best market veterans, domestic as well as global. We had Chris Wood, who is one of the best global strategists and investors, along with 15 other top market stalwarts like Ramesh Tamani, Pashupati Advani and Jayakumar and many others, talking about what they believe is the bull case for India, where they see the Indian markets in the near to medium term, in the long term, which sectors do they believe will do well, and so on. So, this was a very curated offering for our market audience. Outside of that, we have, of course, been conducting our CNBC-TV18 Budget Town Halls. We did a very large one with CII, where we had almost 100-plus CEOs representing different sectors talk to us about not just what they expect from the Budget, but also how they see the economy, and whats the mood in the industry. Different sectors have been captured by way of stories on what the industry expects or hopes for from the Budget. We have started something called the Budget Box. Wed brought it in during the interim budget. We had then called it the Budget Ballot to play on the elections. Through the Budget Box, we are collecting suggestions and recommendations from across different parts of the country on what they would like the finance minister to do, to make it more of a participatory exercise. So, weve taken the Budget Box to colleges to get the perspective of the youth. Weve taken the Budget Box to malls and to cinema halls to get the average Indian to participate in what is a key economic event in the country. On the Budget day itself, we are going to have a very special element outside of our regular 24/7 programming. I dont want to reveal it just yet, because we are keeping it a little bit of a surprise to mark two milestones to mark the milestone of this being the 7th consecutive budget that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is going to present; and it will be a milestone for us as well, as we are marking this moment in our 25th year. So, all will be revealed on the Budget Day. What is the tagline for your Budget coverage this year and how will it reflect in CNBC-TV18s programming? We do have a specific tagline and weve always had a specific tagline for our budget coverage. We pick up on the theme that we believe reflects the mood of the nation and the mood of the industry. At this point, we felt that the most appropriate tagline was to Go for growth. While we have done well and we are one of the fastest growing large economies in the world today, we do realize and recognize the fact that there is potential for stronger growth and there is a need for stronger growth. So, our tagline this year is building on that aspiration that India must build on the current growth momentum, and that we must ensure that we capitalize on the opportunities. Go for growth is the overarching theme for all of our programming and our budget coverage. According to you, what are the key areas and issues that need to be highlighted the most? What is the key question that you will be asking? If I were to just thread together the key asks that have come in from various quarters, I think the number one is continuity. We would like to there to be continuity as far as measures and policy stability are concerned. So, dont do anything disruptive. Dont undo what has already been done. The one message that is very clearly coming through from different stakeholders that we have spoken to is that just continue to build on what has already been put in place. The building blocks are in place. The fundamentals are looking good at this point. Lets not do anything disruptive to try and sour the mood. Number two, I think both in terms of the ease of doing business as well as the cost of doing business, and there are specific areas such as logistics cost, the cost of manufacturing and so on these two continue to be areas where more needs to be done. There are specific recommendations across different sectors that have come in to ensure that there is both ease of doing business as well as an improvement in the cost of doing business. Number three, I think the industry is very appreciative of the fact that growth, especially in the post-Covid period, has been driven by the massive government spending that has happened on infrastructure. And so the hope is that that will continue. The wish is that the government does an even higher allocation versus what they had done in the interim budget. The CII is asking for 30%, and FICCI is asking for 25% higher capex by the government, on public spending, on infrastructure, etc. So, the hope is that the government will continue to drive growth by spending more on infrastructure. And finally, I think in terms of consumption, the expectation is that perhaps this could be the budget, especially in light of the fact that there was disappointment which kind of played itself out through the course of the elections as well, that maybe more could have been done to provide some relief for the rural poor, for the middle class, etc. These, I would broadly say, are the four key asks at this point that various stakeholders have from the government. And of course, finally, this is also going to be the first budget of this government. And we do know that both Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have very clearly put their demands forward for special assistance, for a special package. So, those political considerations will also have to be factored in by the Finance Minister. We also have other crucial state elections coming up in Maharashtra, Haryana, etc. So, perhaps there will be some political considerations that this Budget will need to take into account. Could you tell us about who are the big names that we can expect in the guest line-up this year, and also how will you be engaging with them? We start our programming pretty much from 07:00 in the morning. And I think on Budget Day you will see at least 100-plus faces on CNBC-TV18 of leaders from different walks of life, not just business leaders, but we will have economists, policymakers, government officials, ministers. So, its a very wide and diverse range of opinion makers who you will see on the channel, of course, through the course of the morning, which is where the markets are trading. The focus always is on how the budget is impacting the markets. And so you do have much more of the brokerage view. You have domestic investors, and global investors addressing the markets and what the budget means as far as the markets are concerned. We also have tax experts looking at the fine print, both from an industry perspective as well as a citizens perspective. So, you will have some of the best tax faces with us on Budget Day. We will have all the secretaries of the government, and the entire North Bloc team joining us with their post-budget sort of rationale on why certain decisions were taken, and why the budget was the way that it was. We get it from the horses mouth, so to speak. Of course, the Finance Minister, as always, will join us. And for many years now, her first interview with a private network has been to us. There will be other ministers who will join us as well, depending on which ministry gets what allocation. And, all the big faces of the industry, whether it is Anish Shah of Mahindra, Sanjeev Puri of ITC, Sanjeev Bajaj of Bajaj Finance, former HUL CEO Sanjeev Mehta a whole host of the top leaders of industry will join us through the course of the day. So, as I said, it will be a mix of industries, tax experts, global voices, rating agencies, government officials, and key ministers of the government. The audience for the Budget is very wide from the common man to the movers and shakers of the industry. How is CNBC-TV18 reaching out to its varied audience base to make the budget relevant and easy to understand for them? You also have to look at CNBC-TV18 not just as a TV brand. CNBC-TV-18 is multi-dimensional in the sense that, of course, our mainstay is TV, but we also function across different platforms. We have our website CNBC-TV 18.com, which will be putting out stories that capture the essence of what the budget means for you and me, what is going to be more expensive, what is going to be cheaper. If there are any tax changes, what do those tax changes imply as far as, the impact on your wallet, which sectors have benefited, and which sectors have lost out? CNBC-TV18.com will also generate thousands and thousands of stories on the day, which captures all of these elements. And its easy for people to be able to access and read on their own time on social media, which is on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, etc. Again, our effort will be to de-jargonize the budget and make it much more accessible, democratizing what the budget can be for people. Thus, well have digital videos that are very simple explainers to again, highlight key elements of the budget. The five key numbers that you need to take note of from the budget, the ten sectors that were impacted by the budget, or what the budget means as far as jobs are concerned, what the budget means for your wallet, or what the budget means as far as FMCG is concerned. Various elements and numerous aspects of how the budget impacts our lives will also be part of the coverage that we do, and that will be in a very conversational way through Reels, videos, and so on. Theres also going to be a sachetisation, if I could call it that, of otherwise what is a very expansive and complex issue. But the effort will be to satisfy that with shorter videos, etc;, which make it easier for people to access and easier for people to understand, especially connect with a younger audience as well. How will you be using your YouTube channel for a complete budget coverage? We will use our YouTube channel very effectively. There will be different streams running on YouTube simultaneously. One will, of course, be the live stream of television so that you can access CNBC-TV18 on YouTube, on your mobile phone or desktop. And then therell be separate streams. So, well have a stream coming in from various locations. For instance, therell be a stream coming in from CII. Therell be another stream coming in from FICCI. Therell be specific programming only for YouTube, which will capture much more of the citizen-focused aspects of the budget. Its a program called Budget and You, where some of our anchors will look at the elements that matter to you and me. We will also make it much more interactive for the viewers. So, if people have questions, we will get tax experts to clarify them. If they have questions and clarifications required, we will have people give them the appropriate advice and the appropriate inputs. Could you give us an idea of what goes on in the CNBC-TV18 Budget Newsroom? How big is the team involved and how are they prepped for the entire coverage? Of course, theres a 25-year experience to fall back on, but how the preparation goes on, not just in the run-up to the budget, but the budget day and the post-budget analysis, which continue for several weeks after that I think, it starts with having the clarity of purpose. And were very clear that our job is to educate, to inform, to clarify, and help people connect the dots. Our job is to help people take actionable decisions that are smart for them be it with their investments or any other aspects of life choices that is our purpose. And that drives everything that we do, that drives our newsroom, our programming strategy, our budget coverage as well. It is, of course, very dynamic. And as a team over the years and especially on big days, you have to learn to be agile and nimble. You have to also be ready to factor in the fact that you could have your plans in place and then something could happen that could derail those plans. It requires you to be on-the-ball taking decisions in real-time. So, you have to be extremely dynamic in your decision-making. And I think over the years we have developed that instinct and our muscle memories fairly strong because we have learned on the job. I think that does kick in, and that certainly helps us deal with unexpected events or unexpected situations. But the most important is having clarity of purpose. Two, I think, is alignment. Were a very well-connected team. We spend a lot of our time prepping for the big day. We do calls virtually every day, have meetings virtually every few days to take stock of the situation, to take stock of our guest list, to take stock of the shows that we are going to be focusing on, the themes that were going to be focusing on. So, theres a lot of prep work that happens and theres a lot of alignment and communication between us, the core team that is driving this effort. One might think that with such an expansive exercise, we must have an expansive team. But actually CNBC-TV18 is a very lean machine. So, we dont operate with a very expansive team, but we operate with a very tightly knit and very efficient team, where responsibilities are very clearly allocated. And I think that helps because theres very clear allocation of whos going to be doing what, whos responsible for what. And hence, theres also accountability. And thats not just for Budget Day, thats how we live every day. Thats how we keep our newsroom going. And I think thats how we managed to retain our leadership because the attempt and the effort is to try and be better every day, to try and improve what we did the previous day. And that, to my mind, paves the way for excellence. So, that continues to drive us. Thats part of our DNA, thats part of who we are. And so even on big days like the Budget Day, I think thats what really keeps us going and keeps us ahead. Ecom Express, a leading provider of technology-driven logistics solutions for e-commerce, announced the appointment of two senior executives to its leadership team. Jitendar Kumar joins the company as Chief Business Officer, while Abhinav Imandi takes on the role of Senior Vice President - Operations, Process Excellence, and Alternate Channels. Commenting on Kumar's appointment, Ajay Chitkara, CEO & MD of Ecom Express, said: "Jitendar's proven track record in driving business growth and strategic thinking will be crucial in achieving our ambitious goals in India. His leadership and diverse background make him a valuable asset." Kumar brings over 18 years of experience in sales leadership, having driven growth across domestic and international markets. Previously, he held positions at Hewlett Packard and Bharti Airtel, building high-performing teams. Kumar holds an MBA in Finance from NMIMS, Mumbai, and a BBA from Bangalore University. "I am honored to join Ecom Express," said Jitendar Kumar, Chief Business Officer. "I look forward to collaborating with the team to drive innovation, expand our market reach, and deliver exceptional logistics services to our customers." Expressing his confidence in Imandi, Vishwachetan Nadamani, Chief Operating Officer of Ecom Express, said: "Abhinav's extensive experience across various sectors will be a great asset. His enthusiasm aligns perfectly with our commitment to customer satisfaction." With nearly 15 years of experience, Imandi is a people leader with expertise in consulting, sales operations, customer experience, and operations. He has thrived in diverse environments, leading teams at established companies, startups, and organizations of various sizes. Before joining Ecom Express, Imandi served as Chief Operating Officer at Milkbasket and held positions at Foodpanda and a travel tech startup. He holds a PGDBM in Marketing Strategy from Management Development Institute, Gurgaon, and a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Applied Electronics and Instrumentation from College of Engineering Trivandrum. "I am excited by the opportunities at Ecom Express and eager to contribute to the company's continued success," said Abhinav Imandi. "The company's focus on innovation and excellence aligns with my goals. I look forward to collaborating with the team to drive efficiency, enhance processes, and explore new growth channels." These appointments highlight Ecom Express's commitment to strengthening its leadership and achieving sustained growth. With Kumar's business expertise and Imandi's operational leadership, the company is well-positioned to expand its market presence, optimize operations, and deliver superior logistics solutions. Foster Digital, a burgeoning digital marketing agency, proudly announces its latest achievement in securing the social media management and visual content mandate for Foce India, a renowned watch manufacturer. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Foster Digital's dedication to delivering top-tier digital marketing solutions and driving tangible results for its clients. Foster Digital's comprehensive suite of services includes strategic social media management, performance-driven marketing strategies, and captivating visual storytelling through photography and videography. With experienced professionals at the helm, Foster Digital will spearhead Foce India's brand presence across various social media platforms and drive substantial growth in sales. As part of the mandate, Foster Digital will leverage its expertise in performance marketing to implement targeted campaigns aimed at expanding Foce Indias reach, engaging with the target audience, and ultimately driving conversions. Additionally, the agency's adeptness in visual content creation will play a pivotal role in reinforcing Foce India's position as a premier brand in the watch industry. This partnership represents more than just a collaboration. Our vision at Foster Digital is clear: to lead with foresight and innovation in the digital realm. We recognize the imperative of adaptability and excellence, and through strategic social media management and performance-driven marketing, we're poised to propel Foce India to new heights, driving tangible growth and long-term success. #OnAndBeyond said Rajesh Iyer, Co-Founder of Foster Digital. "We chose Foster Digital for their proven track record of delivering impactful digital solutions. Their innovative approach to social media management and content creation aligns perfectly with our brand ethos, and we look forward to achieving great success together" said Manoj Agarwal, CEO of Foce India. Google has renewed media deals with several smaller Australian publishers, while the Albanese Government considers pressuring Meta to pay millions to local publishers. According to the AFR, Google has extended agreements with News Corp, Times News Group, Solstice Media, Crikey, The Conversation, Womens Agenda, and Independent Media. These renewed contracts are for one year, with an option for Google to cancel after that period. Previously, Seven and Nine secured five-year deals with Google, expiring in 2026, while smaller publishers had three-year agreements. Googles director of government affairs, Lucinda Longcroft, stated that over the past three years, Google has signed agreements with more than 80 Australian news businesses, supporting over 200 outlets. MediaMint, a global AI-powered revenue and media operations services provider backed by Everstone Capital and Recognize, has announced the appointment of Rajeev Butani as Chief Executive Officer. Butani replaces current CEO and co-founder Aditya Vuchi, who will continue to support MediaMint as a member of the companys Board of Directors. As we continue to accelerate innovation and revenue realization for businesses worldwide, we are excited to have Rajeev serve as CEO to guide us through the next phase of MediaMints expansion. Rajeev has served as Executive Chairman of the company and understands our business and culture and we look forward to his collaboration with MediaMint leadership, employees, and customers to build on our past successes" said Vuchi, who served as MediaMints CEO for the previous 14 years. Prior to joining MediaMint in 2023 as Executive Chairman, Butani served with Accenture for more than 25 years, most recently as the Senior Managing Director and Group Technology Officer for Accentures Communications, Media, and Technology Operating Group globally. He also served on Accentures Global Leadership Counsel. Rajeev is the right person to help drive adoption of MediaMints next generation services and going forward to help us identify acquisitions that will complement MediaMints vision of an AI-powered platform of services, said Avnish Mehra, Vice Chairman, Private Equity at Everstone Capital, and David Wasserman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Recognize. We are delighted to have Adityas full support in this transition and look forward to Rajeevs stewardship as we expand MediaMints global business. With 2,000 employees across offices in San Francisco, New York, Hyderabad, and Krakow, MediaMint delivers operational support for digital marketing, including ad operations, creative services, and customer services. The company serves over 100 global customers, including prominent digital marketing platforms, publishers, and agencies. The digital marketing landscape is growing, driven by the proliferation of digital channels and creator platforms, enhanced data capabilities, and the increasing popularity of user generated digital content. As more businesses venture into digital advertising, MediaMint is strategically positioned to optimize advertising performance and reduce operational costs associated with establishing digital ad platforms, managing ad operations, and refining ad creatives. Adgullys IMAGEXX Summit and Awards 2024, the premier PR industry event, took place on July 18, 2024, at the Holiday Inn, Aerocity, Gurgaon. This prestigious event brought together industry leaders, professionals, and innovators to celebrate excellence in public relations and communication. The event witnessed an insightful panel discussion on Navigating Geopolitics: The Role of Public Policy and ESG in Shaping Global Communication Strategies. The panel was led by Rahul Kashyap, Executive Director, PRP Group, and the esteemed panelists included: Sonal Singh, Head - Corporate Communications, Jindal Stainless Anil Patni, EU Policy and Outreach Expert, Apex Advisers Sanghpriya Gautam, Director, Speyside. The industry experts explored how geopolitical factors influence government actions and the resultant effects on businesses, particularly within the Indian manufacturing sector. They also delved into the critical role of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in shaping business strategies. In todays global landscape, the interplay between geopolitics and corporate strategy is undeniable. Government decisions, often shaped by international dynamics, profoundly impact business operations. Rahul Kashyap opened the conversation by posing a crucial question: How do you see that geopolitics affects government decisions and the effect of it on the corporate side of it? Sonal Singh, representing the Indian manufacturing sector, provided insights into how communication strategies often come into play post-crisis. She explained, I believe a lot of communication strategies kick in after the geopolitical disaster has already happened. Citing the impact of Chinese imports on various industries in India, Singh highlighted how the Trump administrations Section 232 tariffs catalyzed global shifts from globalization to nationalization. She noted, That one decision of Trump triggered governments all across the world to take action. Singh further illustrated the importance of timely government intervention by referencing Indias dependency on imported containers. Despite ample research and advocacy, significant policy changes often occur only during crises, such as the Galwan incident. She stated, India is such a large behemoth. There are so many other pressing issues in front of the government that sometimes things have just to be jerked into action. Transitioning to the topic of ESG, Rahul Kashyap remarked on its critical importance and the perception of its weaponization. Anil Patni responded by tracing the evolution from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to ESG. He observed, Before this buzzword of ESG came around... we had something called CSR. Patni emphasized on the longstanding tradition of Indian companies engaging in social responsibility as a strategic business practice, which has now expanded to include environmental considerations due to global awareness initiatives like the IPCC reports. He added, Now, companies are forced to become good citizens. They have to pay attention to their carbon footprint. Patni underscored the regulatory aspect, stating, In Europe, you have a European climate law. In India also, now it is compulsory for the top thousand companies... to compulsorily report on their environmental performance. Sanghpriya Gautam elaborated on the intrinsic value of ESG, asserting its necessity. He stated, Everyone in this world is using resources... So thats how the environmental aspect of ESG comes in. Gautam stressed on the importance of addressing local needs and fostering sustainable CSR programs to ensure long-term benefits for communities. He highlighted the governance aspect by pointing out the safety concerns in regions like Gurgaon, which can deter investment. Gautam emphasized, Investment in ESG is not negative; you get really good returns. In conclusion, the discussion illuminated the profound impact of geopolitical decisions on government actions and corporate strategies. The emphasis on ESG underscores its growing significance as a framework for responsible and sustainable business practices. As businesses navigate these complex dynamics, the integration of geopolitical awareness and ESG principles will be crucial for long-term success. These are edited excerpts. For the complete panel discussion, please watch below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbdDQAcX6wk Israel's military sent draft notices to 1,000 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men on Sunday following a court ruling last month that ended their blanket exemptions amid the country's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. Another 2,000 ultra-Orthodox men, known as "Haredim," are scheduled to be called up in two more waves during the next four weeks, the Times of Israel reported. Most Jewish men and women in Israel are required to serve three or two years, respectively, on active duty and remain reservists until around 40, according to the Associated Press. Members of the ultra-Orthodox community, have been exempted since Israel was founded in 1948 so the men could pursue religious studies in seminary schools called yeshivas. But a 2017 Supreme Court ruling struck down a law codifying the exemptions and on June 25 it unanimously ordered the military to start drafting ultra-Orthodox men. The directive sparked public protests and Reuters reported that some Haredi rabbis have told men in their communities to burn their conscription papers. About 1.3 million Israelis are ultra-Orthodox and they comprise about 13% of the country's population. Two Haredi political parties are part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile coalition government and new parliamentary elections would likely have be held if they were to pull out. The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) APAC has launched the "Asia Go-To-Market Primer 2024," offering strategic insights for establishing communication programmes across Asia. Covering 13 markets, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, India, and Sri Lanka, the primer provides detailed profiles of each region's socioeconomic, media, and cultural landscapes. It also suggests budget guidelines for strategic communications activities. Led by Caroline Hsu, Co-Chair of PRCA APAC and Chief Global Officer at The Hoffman Agency, the initiative aims to address Asia's growing complexity and diversity. Hsu emphasized the need for recognizing Asia's digital maturity, economic growth, and cultural uniqueness to create impactful campaigns. As national Democrats began lining up behind Vice President Kamala Harris following President Joe Bidens decision to suspend his re-election campaign, Alabama Sen. Katie Britt Sunday blasted Harris for her record with the administration. Changing the president in this case isnt going to change the policies, Britt told AL.com Sunday afternoon. Biden and Harris policies over the last four years have truly made us weaker and more vulnerable at every turn. In a post on social media platform X, Britt called Harris even more radical than Biden on border and immigration policies. This administrations border czar is the last person who should be entrusted with our nations future, Britt stated. This administrations border czar is the last person who should be entrusted with our nations future. Kamala Harris is even more radical on border and immigration policies than Joe Biden. A Trump-Vance administration will bring back: secure borders safe streets stable Katie Britt (@KatieBrittforAL) July 21, 2024 Britts senatorial colleague Tommy Tuberville earlier called on Biden to resign immediately, saying he was never mentally fit to be President. Tubervilles comments echoed those made earlier by former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance. Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 election. In an interview, Britt said the narrative on Biden changed due to his performance in the June 27 televised debate against former President Donald Trump, when Biden was criticized for his slow responses. Britt said the entire country has been in a bit of chaos since the debate, and that lies solely at the feet of Joe Biden, his advisors and his family. To see the President of the United States in the way he was, I think, was unsettling not only for American but our allies across the world, Britt said. He wasnt just going to be the Democratic nominee, he is our current commander-in-chief. The weakness he has exhibited throughout his presidency culminated in that evening. Britt echoed the call of other Republicans, that Biden dropping out of the campaign shows he is not capable of serving the rest of his presidential term. He cited the report in February from Special Counsel Robert Hur, who said Biden might present himself in a courtroom as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. If hes not capable of sitting in a courtroom, hes not capable of sitting in the Situation Room, she said. Hes shown consistently hes not capable. Making the same case as her post on X, Britt said Harris had proven as border czar that she could not handle the job. Biden in 2021 put Harris in charge of coordinating diplomatic relationships to address the root causes of migration. Under the Biden Administration, she said, the number of border crossings is the highest in history, and the number of got-aways - migrants who are detected by cameras and sensors crossing into the U.S. illegally, but not taken into custody - was 1.9 million. She was in the captains seat and chose to do nothing, Britt said. If thats the kind of leadership she is going to provide the American people, thats all anybody needs to know. Britt also spoke about Americans coping with a dizzying set of stories over the last week, from the assassination attempt on Trump to Bidens bowing out. She said Americans have had really difficult times before and there is grit in everyone. We are all Americans, she said. The most important thing is not whether you are a Democrat or Republican, but we are Americans. After what weve seen with the assassination attempt, and now, its important that we remember we dont have to agree with someone to show respect. Our democracy was founded on people being able to express different ideas and opinions and figuring out a path forward. We may disagree with someones policy and posture, but it doesnt mean we have to denigrate them as people. Advanced Placement courses can save college-going students time and thousands of dollars in credits, but the opportunity to take college-level coursework varies widely in Alabama. A total of 285 Alabama public and private schools were authorized to offer Advanced Placement courses to high school students in the 2023-24 school year, according to an AL.com analysis of College Board data. Scroll down to see the statewide list. Our fascination with soda fountains stems from many things: They are uniquely American, they recall a simpler, bygone time and they provide the good, old-fashioned fun of enjoying ice cream treats with friends. Theres just something about watching ice cream scooped out and piled high and topped with nuts or whipped cream or malt that is more exciting than buying it in a carton in a store. A unique feature of soda fountains is that they were typically paired with pharmacies at least in their earliest years. Why is that? Ellison Place Soda Shop in Nashville offers this piece of history: Soda fountains originated in corner pharmacies, where pharmacists with knowledge of science would dispense soothing tonics that became tasty treats. Over time, the servers became known as soda jerks for the dramatic flair in the way they pulled on the soda handles and flipped scoops of ice cream. Many sodas themselves, including Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper and Pepsi, were developed by pharmacists who were experimenting with ways to help soothe stomach and other ailments. Adding ice cream was, well, just ice cream on the float. A number of old-timey soda fountains still exist the kind with marble bar tops and sundae glasses that serve thick shakes, malteds and, in some cases, even egg creams. We found some across the South, most more than 100 years old, that are definitely worth a visit. SundaeImage by binamg from Pixabay Borroums Drug Store and Soda Fountain 604 E Waldron Street, Corinth MS In 1865, Dr. Jack Borroum, a Civil War veteran, opened a drug store for both wholesale and retail sales in Corinth. It is now Mississippis oldest continuously operating pharmacy and soda fountain. Today, Borroums is still operated by the family, the website says. The old soda fountain is still very much in the center of things and is kept in perfect operation .... It has everything from real malted milk to their famous ice cream sodas. Of course, there are the cherry phosphates and genuine old-fashioned cokes. Brents Drugs 655 Duling Avenue, Jackson MS Brents Drugs in Jackson opened in 1946 and still features the same soda fountain. The website says: The large dining space was renovated in 2014 but has kept its charm with stainless steel accents and bright teal banquettes, stools and chairs. Large windows let people see everything going on inside under an orange neon sign. These days, Brents serves up ice cream favorites and diner comfort foods. MilkshakeImage by Daniel Mena from Pixabay Elliston Place Soda Shop 2105 Elliston Place, Nashville TN Were one part soda shop, one part meat-and-three, and one hundred percent bona fide Southern eatery. In the 85 years since, weve made a name for ourselves by treating people like family, and treating them to the best stick-to-your-ribs comfort food around -- so says the Elliston Place website. In 1939, 23-year-old Lynn Chandler opened the soda fountain business in Elliston Pharmacy and it continues to be a popular eatery today. Fort Davis Drug Store & Hotel 111 North State St, Fort Davis TX The Fort Davis Drug Store & Hotel is unique among soda fountains. The store opened in 1913 inside the Hotel Limpia. In 1950, the business was moved across the street to where it is today, its website says. Its still got a red-topped 22-foot-long soda fountain and still operates as a hotel. A wooden exterior facade and Mission-style dark wood booths inside give it a Western feel. Inside, visitors can get homestyle cooking, vintage soda and ice cream treats, or book one of six hotel rooms for a stay in historic Fort Davis. SundaeImage by Julius H. from Pixabay La Kings Confectionary and Ice Cream Parlour 2323 The Strand, Galveston TX In 1927, Jimmy King began making candy in Houston; his eldest son, Jack, moved the operation to Galveston in 1976. Using the 19th-century formulas and methods handed down to him, Jack still uses traditional equipment and procedures to make confections, the website says, adding, La Kings features a working 1920s soda fountain serving malts, shakes, ice cream sodas, sundaes, splits, floats and your favorite fountain treats. It serves Purity ice cream, which was the first ice cream maker in Texas, founded in 1889 on Galveston Island. Leopolds Ice Cream Shop 212 East Broughton Street, Savannah GA Leopolds Ice Cream Shop was founded in 1919 by three brothers from Greece: George, Peter and Basil Leopold. The brothers brought their secret formulas with them and created their beloved ice cream. Generations of Savannahians have loved Leopolds Ice CreamLocals still talk about the malts, milkshakes, black and white sodas, and banana splits served by the soda jerks who worked at Leopolds. Leopolds ice cream and sherbet molds were a holiday highlight in Savannahs finest clubs and the shop was always a popular destination after concerts, dances, and high school sporting events, the website said. Savannahs own Johnny Mercer, a well-known songwriter, grew up a block away from Leopolds and worked at the shop as a boy, according to the website. Payne's Soda Fountain in Scottsboro, Ala.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) Paynes Sandwich Shop & Soda Fountain 101 East Laurel Street, Scottsboro AL Paynes is Alabamas oldest soda fountain, opening in 1869 when pharmacist W.H. Payne near the railroad tracks. According to AL.coms Bob Carlton, Paynes settled into its current spot across from the Jackson County Courthouse in 1891. In 1939, an addition made it the largest soda fountain ever in this county, the local newspaper said at the time. The pharmacy closed more than 30 years ago, but the soda fountain lives on in all its retro glory from the vintage advertising signs to the black-and-white checkerboard floor, Carlton said. It is now operated by the mother-daughter team, Lisa Garrett and Jessica Walton. The Pickwick in Greenville, S.C., has been run by the Odom family for three generations and is celebrating more than 75 years in the business.Photo courtesy of Pickwick Pharmacy The Pickwick Pharmacy Soda Fountain 3219 Augusta Street, Greenville, SC The Pickwick has been run by the Odom family for three generations and is celebrating more than 75 years in the business. The soda shop inside, which seats about 50, is currently operated by Pink Mamas Ice Cream. The shop serves sandwiches, shakes and malts, fresh-squeezed orangeade and lemonade, hotdogs and chili dogs, 20 flavors of ice cream, and cherry and vanilla cokes served from a 1949 soda fountain, the website says. Timberlakes Drug Store and Soda Fountain 322 E Main Street, Charlottesville VA Timberlakes, a pharmacy and soda fountain, says on its Facebook page: The menu of Mr. Sandwiches (Mr. Tom, Mr. George, and Mr. Ham, among others) includes egg, tuna, and chicken salad, but youll also find old-fashioned malted milkshakes and ice cream sundaes. You really cant lose when perched on a red leather stool in an establishment thats been a local favorite since 1917. Trowbridge's ice cream and sandwich shop has been an institution in downtown Florence, Ala., since Paul Trowbridge opened his creamery in 1918. His great-granddaughter, Pam Trowbridge, carries on the family tradition.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) Trowbridges Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop 316 North Court Street, Florence AL Trowbridges Creamery was opened in 1918 by dairy farmer Paul Trowbridge on North Court Street. The shop is not only still in the same location, but it also remains in the same family, says Bob Carlton of AL.com. It is currently owned by Pam Trowbridge, the great-granddaughter of Paul Trowbridge. Trowbridges signature flavor is orange-pineapple, which the Alabama Tourism Department has featured on its list of100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama. BONUS: Goolricks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain 901 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg VA UNDER RENOVATION Goolricks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain opened in 1897 in Fredericksburg, Va. This well-known store, known as Americas Longest Continuously Operated Soda Fountain, is expected to reopen in 2025 for 125+ more years of egg salad and bacon sandwiches and magnificent milkshakes! You can follow along with the renovation with video episodes on the website. Folk music legend Happy Traum died of cancer at the age of 86. The New York Times reported that Traums wife, Jane, said he died after undergoing surgery for the cancer. Traum and his brother, Artie, released five albums the first called Happy and Artie. Artie died from liver cancer in 2008. Happy Traum recorded and performed with Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Levon Helm of the Band and the reggae star Peter Tosh. Per Deadline, he was part of a 1963 session that featured Dylan, Seeger, Phil Ochs and other folk stars that created the seminal folk album Broadside Ballads, Vol. 1. Among the tracks on that album was Traums duet with Dylan, who used the pseudonym Blind Boy Grunt, on Dylans antiwar song Let Me Die in My Footsteps. Traum was a self-taught musician. His career reportedly began in the 1950s and he was called a stalwart of the Greenwich Village music scene in the 1960s. The New York Times called Traum an enduring presence in the folk world for more than six decades. He is survived by his wife and two daughter, Merry and April Trau, a son, Adam, and he had four grandchildren. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Jerry Miller died Saturday night in Tacoma, Washington, at age 81. No cause has been given. Sadly, Jerry Miller passed away last night, said the fan page post. Jo and the family are asking for everyone to please give them some privacy and respect, and Jo asked that people cease phone calls for the time being. Thank you. His death was reported on the Moby Grape Facebook fan page and by journalist Eric Brenner. Eric Clapton reportedly once called him the greatest guitar player in the world, and while Rolling Stone didnt hold him in quite as high regard, it still once ranked him among the greatest 100 all-time. His career began in the late 1950s, playing and recording with popular Northwest dance-rock bands. He contributed guitar work to an early version of the hit record I Fought the Law by The Bobby Fuller Four, and later toured with Fuller. Miller was a contemporary of Jimi Hendrix and Larry Coryell, and they would often get together to watch touring bands visiting the Seattle area. Deadline reported that he toured with Bobby Fuller of I Fought the Law, fame and even did some early guitar work on that hit. Moby Grape was formed in San Francisco in 1966 with Miller was the lead guitarist in the three-guitar band. After leaving Moby Grape, Miller helped form The Rhythm Dukes and also performed as a solo artist. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Alabama Democratic Party has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. State Democratic Party Chair Randy Kelley issued a statement Monday, one day after President Joe Biden stepped aside in the race and endorsed his former running mate, Harris. Kelley said the state party has joined with the Association of State Democratic Chairs in endorsing Harris. Kamala Harris has been an integral part of the successes of the Biden-Harris presidency and those successes are many, Kelley said. From historic investments in small business, job creation, and forgiving millions in student loans, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have guided America with a steady hand after four years of Donald Trumps chaos. We are better off than we were four years ago. The announcement Monday by the state Democratic Party follows endorsements of Harris by other state Democratic officials including U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, and Shomari Figures, Democratic nominee in the states 2nd Congressional District. Alabama Republicans, meanwhile, have accused Democrats of covering up Bidens diminished mental acuity and said voters will reject the policies of the Biden administration in the election regardless of the nominee. Sen. Tommy Tuberville called on Biden to resign and Sen. Katie Britt said Harris has been instrumental in policies that have weakened the nation. But state Democratic Chair Kelley said it is Trumps policies that will send the country in the wrong direction. The Democratic National Convention is set for Aug. 19 to Aug. 22 in Chicago. The contrast between Trump and Vice President Harris could not be clearer, Kelley said. Donald Trump is a threat to the very fabric of our Democracy. His plans for America are nefarious. We cannot allow him the opportunity to implement Project 2025. We must unite behind Vice President Harris as the Democratic Party nominee and pledge our full support. And when Alabama Democrats are united, theres no limit to what we can do. An Alabama pastor whose grandson is accused in the horrific killings of his wife and four children chronicled what happened in the immediate moments before and after the deadly shootings. The Rev. Allan Kendrick, who along with his wife Gay leads Oasis of Praise church in McCalla, addressed the quintuple homicide during his sermon Sunday. Kendricks grandson, 32-year-old Brandon Allan Kendrick II, is charged with 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. Killed were Brandon Kendricks wife of six years, 24-year-old Kelse Kendrick, and their two children Kaleb Kendrick, 6 and Kynli Kendrick, 2. The couples niece and nephew, Haley Daniels, 6, and Colton Daniels, who would have turned 9 on Tuesday, were also killed. A GoFundMe has been launched to help the family pay for the estimated $50,000 in burial costs. Ive had a few people call (and say), Pastor, you cant preach Sunday. You cant get up and preach Sunday with what youve been through and whats going on with you. Its going to be too hard,' Pastor Kendrick told the congregation. No, when heard this, I will look into the hills from which cometh my help,' he said. My help cometh from the Lord. What Im doing right now, Ill get criticized for, he said. Im supposed to be mourning. Im supposed to be grieving. Im supposed to be incapable of doing anything. I should be at home with my blinds pulled. The shooting happened at the home of Pastor Kendrick. His grandson and family lived in the garage apartment on the West Blocton property. The large, close-knit family earlier that day had gathered at the home of Bill Morrow, Kelse Kendricks grandfather, for a pool party to celebrate Colton. Brandon Kendrick did not attend Coltons party. Kynli Kendrick, 2, (not pictured) Kaleb Kendrick, 6, Colton Daniels, 8, and Haley Daniels, 6, were shot to death Thursday, July 18, just hours after Colton's birthday pool party.GoFundMe The plan, said cousin Shannon McCoy, was for Kelse Kendrick and all four children to spend the night at Morrows home after the party. Haley and Coltons mother, Jessica Morrow, had surgery planned for the following day and Kelse Kendrick was keeping the children since Jessica Morrow her aunt had to be at the hospital early Friday morning. Brandon Kendrick repeatedly called his wife, telling her to come home. Ultimately, McCoy said, Kelse Kendrick agreed to return home. Jessica Morrow took Kelse Kendrick and the four children back to the garage apartment. Pastor Kendrick talked in church Sunday about what happened next. Ten minutes before I heard a gunshot, my grandson was sitting in my bedroom with me and Gay, laughing, talking, talked about the first time we ever took him to a restaurant for his 13th birthday, Pastor Kendrick said. Hed never been in a restaurant. All hed ever known for 12 years was abuse - physical, sexual, mental, drug. When I got him at 12 years old, he weighed 58 pounds, Pastor Kendrick said. He was on nine different psychotic medicines. The pastor went on to say that the system failed his grandson. When Brandon Kendrick turned 18, Pastor Kendrick said, they took him off disability and took him off medication because the family couldnt afford to buy it since his Medicaid was canceled. Gay and I watched him all these years try so hard, the pastor said. We talked to every agency, we talked to everybody, we tried everything. We had him institutionalized in hospitals only to have him discharged with no medication, no follow, up no doctor. Kelse Kendrick and her young son and daughter were among five people killed in Bibb County on July 18, 2024. Kelse's husband, Brandon Kendrick, is charged with capital murder.(Special to AL.com) Pastor Kendrick said in the predawn hours of that Thursday, Brandon Kendrick had called 911 asking for help, only to be turned down, he said. In the bedroom with me and Gay, we talked about the J. Alexanders lunch we took him to and a few other things. We were laughing and talking, the pastor said. His wife had gotten home. She came in, laughed with us a little while, left. He (Brandon) got up, 10 minutes later, Pow' Pastor Kendrick said. I told Gay, Thats a gunshot,' he said. She said it was. Moments later, Brandon Kendrick walked into the bedroom with a gun in his hand. Gay Kendrick was closest to him. She grabbed the gun. It went off, Pastor Kendrick said. I dont know how it kept from hitting her. Yeah, yeah I do know, he said. Because our prayer time that night, about an hour before this incident, our prayer team stood here and joined hands and prayed for mine and Gays safety, he said. I had reached out to several of the church members, they were helping me trying to get some kind of help. So, they prayed for us. I was able to subdue him, Pastor Kendrick said of his grandson. And once that happened, he didnt know where he was at. He started asking me and Gay, Where am I at? Wheres Kelse? Why are you angry? Whatd I do wrong,' he said. Ten minutes before that hes laughing, talking and having a pretty good time, Pastor Kendrick said. Dont you think that if you dont have Jesus, youre going to walk out of here and everythings going to be cool because you aint no match for the devil. Do you think youre strong enough to resist the devil if he were to possess you? he said. You better get your heart right with God, because you may be the next one on national news. An Alabama State Trooper is among six people indicted in a drug distribution conspiracy. Middle District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross announced the indictments Monday. Those indicted are: 57-year-old Jim Carter, Jr., of Montgomery; 38-year-old Francisco Lopez, of Texas; 40-year-old Maria Beatriz Palomo-De Lopez, a Mexican national; 63-year-old Saundra S. Curry, of Deatsville; 37-year-old Bryce Johnson, of Union Springs and 52-year-old Michael Anthony Evans, an Alabama State Trooper from Montgomery. They are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Investigators on June 10 conducted surveillance at a home on Edgar D. Nixon in Avenue. Shortly before noon, according to the federal complaint, federal agents saw a gray Dodge Ram truck with Texas license plates arrive at the location. A short time later, Carters Toyota Rav 4 also arrived at the location. Maria Lopez and Francisco Lopez got out of the Dodge Ram, as did two children ages 14 and 4. Curry and Carter got out of the Rav 4. At 12:02 p.m., DEA agents carried out a search warrant at the home. As they approached, charging documents state, they saw Carter and Francisco Lopez trying to remove a battery from the bed of the Ram. Agents secured everyone present. During the search, agents found two batteries in the bed of the Dodge Ram. Inside of each battery was about 3 kilograms of cocaine, for a total of 6 kilos. About 155.8 gross grams of crack cocaine was found inside the home. The Lopezes told DEA agents they came to Montgomery looking for a house to rent. While searching the Ram truck, there was only one small suitcase for four people, which is indicative of a short trip, the agent wrote. Additionally, documents state the Ram had been in Houston on June 8, which the agent said is a known source city where the drugs come into the U.S. Multiple times, the agent said, a Hispanic male used a public bus line from Houston to Montgomery and was picked up by Carter and taken to the home on Edgar D. Nixon. The man would then return to Houston the same night or the following night on a public bus. Maria Lopez is also charged with illegally re-entering the U.S. after being deported in 2013. Federal documents do not state the alleged role of Evans, who is a senior state trooper, in the conspiracy. ALEA officials said Monday Evans was placed on mandatory leave Thursday, immediately following his arrest. If convicted, Carter and Francisco Lopez face a sentence range of 10 years to life in prison. The potential punishment for the other four defendants is up to 20 years in prison. The DEA investigated the case, with cooperation from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark E. Andreu is prosecuting. Alabama is a Republican stronghold in statewide races, so President Bidens withdrawal from the presidential race on Sunday is not likely to change former President Trumps expected dominance in the state in November. But Alabama does have a competitive congressional race - the redrawn 2nd District - where the Democrats hope to flip a Republican seat and elect the second Democratic member in Alabamas seven-member U.S. House delegation. Democratic nominee Shomari Figures of Mobile, a former official in the Obama administration and the U.S. Justice Department, faces Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson, an attorney from Montgomery. On Sunday, the two candidates issued statements taking different positions on the significance of Bidens decision. Joe Biden realizes he is incapable of serving a second term, but many Americans can plainly see he is in no condition to finish this term, Dobson said. Biden should immediately resign from office, and if Shomari Figures cares about our nation, he will join my call for him to step down now. Figures responded to Bidens announcement with a statement praising the president. President Biden gave his entire life (to) public service, Figures said. Through the tragic deaths of his wife, his young daughter, and his son Beau, he continued to lead. He gave his all to this nation, and answered the call to restore the soul of America at a time when we needed it most. He navigated us through the greatest threat to our Democracy in over 150 years and through the worst pandemic in world history. President Biden delivered for this nation and the state of Alabama. Just last week his administration awarded Alabama the largest federal grant ever in the history of the state for an infrastructure project that will have transformative economic impacts in Mobile and across the region. On behalf of all of those who call Alabama - and especially District 2 - home, Thank You, Joe. After withdrawing Biden endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, and Figures said that was the right call. I first met Kamala Harris back in 2012 when she was Attorney General and was helping us get President Barack Obama reelected, Figures said. She had our back then, and we have her back now. I fully support Vice President Harris for the Democratic nomination and look forward to casting my ballot for the first Black woman to be President of the United States. A woman who claimed to be psychic in order to mastermind a scheme that resulted in a Maryland man embezzling more than $4 million from his employer has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced Thursday. Gina Rita Russell, 35, is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the scheme, after being indicted in 2018 along with her ex-common-law husband Robert Evans, his brothers Tony John Evans and Corry Blue Evans, and the brothers parents, Archie Kaslov and Candy Evans, all of New York. The "elaborate" scheme dates back to 2009, when Russell performed a "psychic reading" for a New York woman, though she has no psychic powers, and convinced her that bad things would happen to her unless she raised large sums of money for Russell and her family. The woman began paying Russell money from her lawful jobs, but that wasn't enough. Russell convinced the woman to lie to her father so he would send her large sums of money for expenses such as therapy and university tuition. When the woman's father eventually stopped sending money, Russell convinced the woman to engage in sex work. As a sex worker, the woman met a client from Maryland who eventually declared his love for her and proposed, despite being married with children. "Preying on his affection," the woman conspired with Russell and her family to extort money and gold bars from the victim. The woman claimed her life was in danger because she owed money to bad people. In order to help her, the Maryland man embezzled more than $4 million from his Washington, D.C., employer between January and March of 2017. As part of the scheme, Russell had Tony John Evans impersonate a mobster during calls with the Maryland man, and threaten the lives of his children. Russell also dictated threatening text messages and instructed the New York woman on what to say to the Maryland man. The man dropped large sums of cash and gold bars at various drop locations in New York, believing he was delivering the money to mobsters. The money was in fact going to members of the Russell-Evans-Kaslov family. Russell pleaded guilty to interference with interstate commerce by extortion in 2019, and her sentencing was initially scheduled to happen after her five co-defendants were sentenced, but was delayed further after authorities discovered she ran a similar scheme in Los Angeles. Russell had convinced a Los Angeles woman she had psychic powers, convinced her to defraud her father, and when that money ran out, persuaded her to raise additional funds through sex work. After that scheme was uncovered, a warrant was issued for Russell's arrest in March of this year, and she has remained in custody since. Russell was sentenced Thursday to 125 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,217,542.86 in restitution. Tony John Evans, 35, and Robert Evans, 37, were each sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to interference with interstate commerce by extortion. Corry Blue Evans, 31, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Archie Kaslov, 57, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Candy Evans, 55, pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness by corrupt persuasion or misleading conduct and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. With TMX Two Republican lawmakers from Montgomery who are sponsoring a bill that would allow the governor or attorney general to appoint interim police chiefs for cities say the goal is to put inspirational leaders in place to help hire and keep more cops on the job. Rep. Reed Ingram said he believes Birmingham could benefit from the state intervention the bill would allow. Sen. Will Barfoot, who chairs the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee, said he does not know enough about Birminghams circumstances to make a judgement but said the legislation would put a mechanism in place to help determine whether such a step is justified. This is not a target on Birmingham, or not necessarily even Montgomery, Barfoot said. But this does give the attorney general or the governor the ability to assist whats going on in municipalities around the state as far as their law enforcement, let them make the appropriate decision as to whether they want to install an interim chief. Could Birmingham use that? Possibly. But again, I dont know what the morale is, I dont know whats happening with the attrition rate with the police department up there. If this legislation passes, it would be up to the attorney general and the governor to look at those factors. Ingram said he believes stronger leadership is the key to recruiting and retaining police officers in Birmingham, Montgomery, and other cities. When youre working for somebody, I dont know that higher pay is the answer, Ingram said. I think (the answer is) working conditions and being able to back our police officers up and support law enforcement. When your heart is into serving, putting your life on the line, whether its law enforcement or military, if you dont lead by an example, I just think that people can sense that. I think that the mayor of Birmingham is a good person. I think the mayor of Montgomery is a good person. But a lot of times, a good person doesnt mean that theyre going to be set to lead in a lot of areas, in every area. Barfoot and Ingram have pre-filed their bill, SB3 and HB14, for the legislative session that starts in February. The bill says the attorney general or governor, in consultation with one another, may appoint an interim police chief for a city if they determine there is an ongoing threat to public safety. The bill would require a finding that police staffing in the city is 30% or more below the average number for the preceding 10 years. It would require consultation with the district attorney, sheriff, and crime victims, as well as a review of relevant crime statistics. The interim police chief would work under the authority of the attorney general or the governor that appointed them, not the mayor or city council. The interim police chief would continue in the job until the attorney general or governor, in consultation, determined that the threat to public safety no longer existed. The Alabama League of Municipalities has concerns that the bill would erode the ability of cities to make the best decisions about their own citizens needs. Public safety is one of the most critical services municipalities provide, League of Municipalities Executive Director Greg Cochran said. The Alabama League of Municipalities and our membership believe that local government is the government closest to the people and therefore should retain authority in making decisions regarding personnel and department operations based on their communities unique needs and circumstances. Our organization has and will continue to collaborate with state leaders on a variety of issues, including public safety, and is always open to discussing ideas and resource opportunities that do not undermine local authority. Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed expressed similar concerns in a statement last month opposing the bill. I, along with other mayors as well as municipal organizations across Alabama, have issues with legislation like this, Reed said. At a time when we should all be working together, I would hope that Representative Ingram and Senator Barfoot would work with our entire local state legislative delegation to provide solutions as opposed to introducing local preemption bills that undermine municipal authority and interfere with a citys right to govern itself. Rick Journey, communications director for Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, said his office would not comment on the legislation. Ingram said the goal is to improve public safety. He said cities should not view the state intervention as a takeover but as a resource. This is not about taking anything away, Ingram said. This is just giving them the opportunity to say, Hey, I need your help state. And we need to make sure we keep these citizens in our town safe. Ingram said there is justification for state intervention because he said the state and counties, not cities, bear the bulk of the cost for prosecuting and incarcerating those who commit serious crimes. Barfoot said the right leadership for police departments is especially important because of multiple factors that deter people from law enforcement careers. Theyre villainized by the media, social media, Barfoot said. That accompanied with the fact that youre going to do your job, you may not come home the next day. You may get sued or prosecuted for doing your job. Barfoot said those factors hurt morale in the ranks and make it more important to hire the right chief. Hopefully that legislation would allow the AG or the governor to put somebody in there who is law enforcement minded, who has the backing of the men and women that serve under them and would also be a champion for those that are employed by that police chief, Barfoot said. Barfoot said the goal of the legislation, if it passes and is applied to a municipality, would be to install strong leaders. He mentioned the example of General George S. Patton. Thats the goal, Barfoot said. Obviously, the Legislature doesnt get to choose. The legislation allows the governor, the attorney general, those that are at the top of the executive branches, the governor and the top, chief law enforcement officer as the AG, they have the opportunity to put somebody in that role. But my guess is they would be looking at somebody who doesnt have their hands tied politically who can inspire men and women who work under them, who has the confidence of the men and women under them. Ingram said the high level of turnover in the police chief position in Birmingham and in Montgomery is reason for concern. Barfoot made the same assertion about Montgomery. In June, the vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge that includes most Birmingham officers said the lodge was considering a vote on no-confidence in the departments leadership, including Chief Scott Thurmond, who was appointed by Mayor Randall Woodfin in 2022. The FOP had issued a vote of no-confidence against the previous chief, Patrick Smith, in 2021. Also in June, Woodfin announced major changes to the police command staff. In May, Birmingham City Council President Darrell OQuinn called attention to a report showing that Birmingham had almost 300 unfilled police officer positions out of the 720 in the budget. The story is similar in Montgomery. In May, the president of the local FOP raised concerns in a letter to the mayor and city council, saying that morale was low and that the police department was about 200 officers short of the needed number of 490. Montgomery Mayor Reed disputed the FOPs claim of low morale in the police department. Reed has proposed a plan to increase officer pay to address the shortage. In June, Reed responded to a rising public outcry about crime in the city with a proposal to the city council for a $6 million community intervention program. Also in June, Reed appointed law enforcement veteran Jim Graboys interim police chief to replace Darryl Albert, who resigned in April after he was suspended. Graboys was a senior compliance specialist with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, had served as police chief at Alabama State University from 2012 through 2019 and previously served in the Montgomery Police Department for 20 years. Reed named Lawrence Battiste, former police chief and executive director of public safety in Mobile, as special public safety advisor to the mayor. Woodfin has called on citizens to do more to help Birmingham police solve violent crime, urging them to break a code of silence that protects perpetrators, particularly in cases where innocent children die. On July 13, seven people died in Birmingham in two separate shooting incidents. A mother, her 5-year-old son, and her boyfriend were shot to near the entrance to Echo Highlands Park, which on the citys east side. Two men and two women were killed and 10 others were injured in a drive-by mass shooting at a private party at a north Birmingham social club. If Kamala Harris becomes the new Democratic pick for presidential candidate in 2024, shell need to choose a vice president, and fast. President Joe Biden made a blockbuster announcement Sunday that he will bow out of the race for reelection. He has endorsed Harris as his replacement. One of the biggest questions: If she is nominated at the August convention, who will serve as her second? Here are names of potential picks from influential states: Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who rapidly on Sunday endorsed Harris. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has also been floated as a potential challenger to Harris. Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, who could draw Black voters in the key swing state, where hes proven he can beat Republicans. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a deep-pocketed billionaire who has already stated support for Harris. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who as a Democrat has won his deep-red state twice. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a popular Democratic governor in a swing state who has said she would never say never to serving on a two-woman ticket. She endorsed Harris Monday. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper campaigned with Harris in his state recently. In an interview on CNN, former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean threw his support behind the Harris-Cooper ticket, saying, I think we would pick up North Carolina as a result. The state voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is another popular governor in a swing state, although hes only been in office for two years. Of course, voters across the country may discuss -- and ask their delegates -- to consider other possibilities. Harris Woodfin 2024, one resident commented on a Sunday post from Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin commending Biden and supporting Harris. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat turned independent, is considering a run as his former partys nominee after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection in 2024, CNN reports. Read the full CNN report. CNNs Jake Tapper reports Manchin is considering re-registering as a Democrat and testing the waters for a presidential run. Manchin, 76, on Sunday called for Biden to step aside during CNNs State of the Union with host Tapper. I came to the decision with a heavy heart that I think its time to pass the torch to a new generation, the West Virginia lawmaker told CNNs Jake Tapper during the Sunday episode of State of the Union. Manchin said he did not speak publicly about Bidens debate performance to give the president a week to evaluate the strategy moving forward. He also said he wanted to allow his colleagues who are in tight races to comment. I thought the first week was needed for the president to evaluate, talk to his family, his staff, and make some decisions, Manchin told Tapper. Im concerned about the presidents health and well-being I really am, Manchin said on ABCs This Week, per the AP. Manchin also said he believes Biden has the opportunity to use the remainder of his term to unite the country, calm political rhetoric and show the world how a peaceful transfer of power can be done by the superpower of the world in a most respectful way. Im hoping for that because I think itll leave him with a tremendous legacy as one of the greatest leaders that weve had, Manchin said. He also said replacing Biden on the ticket should be in an open process. He said he is partial to governors because governors cant afford to be partial. He singled out Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, as leaders who havent divided their states and have instead brought people together. Right now, the country and the world needs our president, Joe Biden, with the compassion hes always had and the ability to bring people together, to use all of his forces and energy towards that, Manchin said. Shortly after announcing he will not run, Biden publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement on the Democratic ticket. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best decision Ive made, Biden said in a statement. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats its time to come together and beat Trump. Lets do this. The AP reports Manchin said he was not trying to have Harris replaced. A healthy competition is what its all about, Manchin said. Manchin, who became an independent in May after years as a Democrat, is not seeking reelection to the Senate. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection following a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about his fitness for office just four months before the election. The decision comes after escalating pressure from Bidens Democratic allies to step aside following the June 27 debate, in which the 81-year-old president trailed off, often gave nonsensical answers and failed to call out the former presidents many falsehoods. Biden plans to serve out the remainder of his term in office, which ends at noon ET on Jan. 20, 2025. 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 to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term, Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A deadly shooting at an Alabama home that left a 24-year-old mother and four children dead happened shortly after a birthday party honoring one of the slain kids. 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 9. Kelse Kendrick, 24, was found with a gunshot wound to the head, according to charging documents. Her two children, a son and a daughter, as well as a niece and nephew, were also shot. Three of the children were dead on the scene. Kelse Kendrick and her niece were airlifted to Birmingham hospitals where they later died. A GoFundMe for the family identified the slain children as Kaleb Kendrick, 6, Kynli Kendrick, 2, Haley Daniels, 6, and Colton Daniels, who would have turned 9 on Tuesday. Kelse Kendricks husband, 32-year-old Brandon Allan Kendrick II, is charged with 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 still on the scene when police arrived and was taken into custody. The shooting happened at the home of Brandon Kendricks grandparents, Oasis of Praise Church lead pastors Allan and Gay Kendrick. Kelse Kendrick, her husband of six years and their two children lived in a garage apartment behind the pastors home in the West Blocton area. The large, close-knit family had gathered at the home of Bill Morrow, Kelse Kendricks grandfather, for a pool party to celebrate Colton. Brandon Kendrick did not attend Coltons party. The plan, said cousin Shannon McCoy, was for Kelse Kendrick and all four children to spend the night at Morrows home after the party. Haley and Coltons mother, Jessica Morrow, had surgery planned for the following day and Kelse Kendrick was keeping the children since Jessica Morrow her aunt had to be at the hospital early Friday morning. Brandon Kendrick repeatedly called his wife, telling her to come home. Ultimately, McCoy said, Kelse Kendrick agreed to return home. Jessica Morrow took Kelse Kendrick and the four children back to the garage apartment. Kelse Kendrick and her young son and daughter were among five people killed in Bibb County on July 18, 2024. Kelse's husband, Brandon Kendrick, is charged with capital murder.(Special to AL.com) It was just over an hour later that the elder Kendrick found the crime scene in the garage apartment and called the Morrow home. They got a call and said you need to come quick, McCoy said. Brandon has shot Kelse and the kids. McCoy was at the beach when she received the call from Jessica Morrow. I called 911 and dispatch sent me to West Blocton, McCoy said. They said they had cars on the way, and they had received a call of a child shot. I said I dont know how many people have been shot, McCoy told them, but theres four children there. McCoy and her family loaded up and headed back home immediately. You cant prepare yourself for a phone call that you have lost five family members in a second, McCoy said. You watch movies, and you think thats never going to happen to me, in my backyard. To be honest, I dont know how were going to deal with it. I did not see this coming, McCoy said, and I certainly dont think Jessica saw it coming or she wouldnt have left her kids there. McCoy said the four slain cousins were close, as is the entire family. Kelse Kendrick, she said, was a loving, caring person and wonderful mother. She was set to go back to school in August because she wanted to open her own funeral home. It didnt matter if she was having a bad day or something wasnt going right, McCoy said, she just had this contagious, wonderful laugh and everybody loved to be around her. In addition to the emotional loss and stress, the family is trying to figure out how to pay for the funerals. They have received an estimate of $10,000 per person. The GoFundMe has raised nearly $13,000. Nobody would ever think they would have to bury five people at one time, McCoy said. Donations to the GoFundMe can be made here. More than 300 people attended a prayer service on Friday night at the Kendricks McCalla church, where Associate Pastor Patrick Cooper spoke briefly. Cooper said he believes the pastor will turn to his faith for strength in the aftermath of the tragedy. Your pastors the strongest person Ive ever met in my life, Cooper said. He showed it to me this morning less than an hour after the police left. He was already, Gods got this. Gods got it taken care of. This is a practical lesson in how to deal with grief and how to deal with trouble, Cooper said. This is a pastors living example right now. McCoy said shes been praying for the elder Kendricks. I dont see how anybody can be doing well, she said. My heart breaks that he had to witness that. Our hearts are all broken, McCoy said, but thats something hes going to have to carry. A judge on Saturday appointed three attorneys to represent Brandon Kendrick. A court date has not yet been announced. No motive has been determined. From what I understand, hes not saying why this happened, so we are left with no answers, McCoy said. We dont understand. A Birmingham store clerk has been charged with murder in the weekend shooting death of a customer after a dispute inside the store. Quajae Dasion Ellis Ware, 22, is charged with murder in the Saturday slaying of 54-year-old Richard Allen Judkins. About 4:45 p.m., Ware walked up to a sergeant at the East Precinct and said he had just shot someone nearby, at the Murphy USA outside Walmart on Roebuck Plaza Drive. Police rushed to the gas station and found Judkins unresponsive on the floor. Fire medics pronounced him dead on the scene. Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said police had received calls at 4:44 p.m. of an irate customer inside the store. Officers were about to be dispatched when Ware showed up at the precinct. Multiple calls then started coming in reporting a physical altercation followed by shots fired in the gas station. A 54-year-old man was shot to death Saturday, July 20, 2024, at Murphy USA on Roebuck Drive. A store clerk has been charged.(Carol Robinson) The gunfire shattered the glass on the stores door. There were other customers in the store at the time, but nobody else was injured. Authorities said the argument between the two men was not store-related. Ware, of Birmingham, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail 5:51 p.m. Sunday. He is being held without bond. As weve stated before, people need to find some other way to resolve conflict before resorting to gun violence and taken a loved one from their family, Wade said. Judkins is Birminghams 92nd homicide so far this year. Of those, eight have been ruled justifiable and therefore arent deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County there have been 116 homicides, including the 92 in Birmingham. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump attends the first day of the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)AP Three months ago, the Legislature scrambled to pass a bill most people thought at the time would ensure that President Joe Biden would be on Alabama ballots for the presidential election. That was necessary because, as Secretary of State Wes Allen announced, the Democratic National Convention comes too late this year to meet the deadline set in Alabama law for parties to certify their nominees for the general election. In response, the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the bill without a dissenting vote to change the deadline. The state had accommodated the major parties on the deadline in previous elections, including with President Trump in 2020. As it turns out, Biden wont be on the ballot in Alabama after his announcement Sunday that he is withdrawing and throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. But because of the bill passed by the Legislature, the Democratic Party has time to certify Harris or whoever it settles on as the nominee during the convention, which will be Aug. 19-22 in Chicago. Aug. 23 is the new deadline to certify the nominees for president and vice president, according to Secretary of State Allen. Allen will then certify the names on Aug. 28. Under Alabama law, there is no mechanism available for a political party to withdraw or substitute their presidential candidate after they have been certified to the secretary of state, Allens office said in a statement on Sunday. Alabama Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, said Democrats have succeeded in pushing Joe Biden out of the presidential race and that it does not matter whom the party choose as the nominee in the 2024 election following the presidents announce he will step aside. The Democratic Party has now succeeded in pushing Joe Biden out of the presidential race, Palmer said in an official statement. It was evident well before the debate with Donald Trump that Bidens mental acuity was severely diminished, but the Biden White House and the Democrats covered it up. The question now is whether or not he has the ability to continue to serve as President. Palmer said regardless of whom they choose as the nominee, Americans will vote on the policies and not the person. What the American people should clearly understand is that it doesnt matter who the Democrats choose because whoever they choose will continue to push policies that will keep the cost of living too high, leave our border open, and make our communities less safe, Palmer said. They may change the person on the Democratic ticket, but the policies will not change. Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell also announced her endorsement of Harris on Sunday. Novembers election remains the most critical of our lifetime, when our rights and freedoms hang in the balance. For the sake of our democracy, we as Democrats should come together, follow President Bidens lead, and unite behind Kamala Harris as our nominee. High profile Democrats in Alabama have expressed support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee now that Biden has announced he will not seek reelection. Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell, R-Birmingham, emphatically endorsed Harris and said she plans to help her beat former President Donald Trump in November. I plan to do everything in my power, from now until November, to make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States, Sewell said. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin also announced public support for Harris. President @JoeBidens endorsement of Vice President Harris speaks volumes, Woodfin posted on X/Twitter. Her leadership, resilience, and commitment to progress have been evident throughout his administration. Proud to stand with @KamalaHarris. Lets get to work! Shortly after his historic announcement, Biden also endorsed Harris. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best decision Ive made, Biden said in a statement. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats its time to come together and beat Trump. Lets do this. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection following a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about his fitness for office just four months before the election. The decision comes after escalating pressure from Bidens Democratic allies to step aside following the June 27 debate, in which the 81-year-old president trailed off, often gave nonsensical answers and failed to call out the former presidents many falsehoods. Biden plans to serve out the remainder of his term in office, which ends at noon ET on Jan. 20, 2025. 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 to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term, Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin quickly showed public support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee in the 2024 election shortly after President Joe Biden announced he will not seek reelection this November. President @JoeBidens endorsement of Vice President Harris speaks volumes, Woodfin posted on X/Twitter. Her leadership, resilience, and commitment to progress have been evident throughout his administration. Proud to stand with @KamalaHarris. Lets get to work! President @JoeBidens endorsement of Vice President Harris speaks volumes. Her leadership, resilience, and commitment to progress have been evident throughout his administration. Proud to stand with @KamalaHarris. Lets get to work! pic.twitter.com/TV8CVJ5D4e Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) July 21, 2024 Woodfin is one of many high profile Democrats who express support for Harris as the partys next nominee, following Bidens lead. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best decision Ive made, Biden said in a statement. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats its time to come together and beat Trump. Lets do this. Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell also announced her endorsement of Harris on Sunday. Novembers election remains the most critical of our lifetime, when our rights and freedoms hang in the balance. For the sake of our democracy, we as Democrats should come together, follow President Bidens lead, and unite behind Kamala Harris as our nominee. Sewell then emphatically endorsed Harris and said she plans to help her beat former President Donald Trump in November. I plan to do everything in my power, from now until November, to make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States, Sewell said. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection following a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about his fitness for office just four months before the election. The decision comes after escalating pressure from Bidens Democratic allies to step aside following the June 27 debate, in which the 81-year-old president trailed off, often gave nonsensical answers and failed to call out the former presidents many falsehoods. Biden plans to serve out the remainder of his term in office, which ends at noon ET on Jan. 20, 2025. 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 to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term, Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is an opinion column The popular media narrative is coming together even as the body of President Joe Bidens presidential campaign is still warm. Unlike his predecessor, Biden put his country over his party and personal ambitions. History will remember the kid from Scranton as an accomplished president whose only fault was loving his country too much. He has fulfilled his promise to be a bridge to the future by endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris who will save democracy from its greatest threat in generations. Unfortunately for Democrats, these are the same people who told us that concerns about Bidens physical and mental capacities were Republican misinformation. Ive been around both politics and media long enough to know theres no centralized conspiracy to provide political cover for Democrats. If there were, myriad journalists and commentators would be forced to admit the truth we already know. To be honest, Id hoped that there were more honest brokers of information left in America. For decades, political bias has hidden nicely behind journalistic codes of ethics. As long as journalists never publicly admit their political leanings, then they dont exist. Its a convenient convention that is increasingly exposed as former President Donald Trumps return to the White House seems more likely than ever. No where has this been more apparent than the immediate fallout from the assassination attempt on Trump. No sooner had the bleeding stopped from Trumps ear than pundits were citing him as the root cause of his own attempted murder. Voices who have roundly and rightly refused to cast victims as deserving of the crimes against them had a funny way of showing it when applied to Trump. We cant deny that Trump has both engaged and escalated political rhetoric in America, but protected speech and criminal violence arent in the same family. Fiery campaign rhetoric isnt an invitation to murder any more than provocative dress is an invitation for sexual assault. The inability of the mainstream press to make such an important distinction without equivocation was the latest erosion of trust with American voters. Bidens resignation from the 2024 campaign only affirms that Trump and Biden werent given the same treatment by the press. Forget Fox News and MSNBC for a moment. Toss out Vox and Newsmax. Their biases are so obvious and apparent that most Americans take their offerings with a grain of salt. But what about those outlets still claiming to be politically neutral? The same outlets blaming Trump for his own assassination attempt categorically missed Bidens mental and physical capacities failing in plain sight. It was only after Bidens devastatingly awful debate against Trump that the objective media feigned surprise and began scrutinizing Biden with the same lens as theyve applied to Trump. As Ive mentioned previously, were only talking about the Heritage Foundations Project 2025 because the Biden campaign asked media outlets to do so more than a year after the conservative think tank published the same type of presidential transition guide it has for administrations since the 1980s. To be fair, Trump attacks any media outlet which dares criticize him. He wasnt worried about media which bought ink by the barrel in the early part of his career, and now hes not batting an eye at organizations that push content by the petabyte. Even the typically-aligned Fox News has fallen from grace with Trump. But thats actually the problem. Any credible news organization attempting to keep the American population informed must treat a friendly Biden campaign with the same level of scrutiny as an offensive candidate like Trump. That is an incredibly difficult task, but it has historically been one of the most important tools for holding American political power accountable. Perfect informational neutrality has always been a myth, but the sheer volume of information available to voters prioritizes quick production over thorough investigation. News journalism should take more time and effort than opinion pieces with a few quotes from unnamed sources or social media posts. The fact that most news organizations now report on publicly available tweets shows how the constitutionally protected press has fallen. Less than a third of Americans trust the mass media to report the news in a fair and accurate way. This isnt simply a product of Trumps consistent attacks; its a matter of failed accountability because of bias as well. We need news outlets to regain the trust of the American people if were to keep our political class on its toes. They can start by holding the eventual Democratic nominee for president to the same standard as Trump. Only then will we find out what can be unburdened by what has been. Smith is a recovering political attorney with four boys, two dogs, a bearded dragon, and an extremely patient wife. Hes a partner in a media company, a business strategy wonk, and a regular on talk radio. Please direct outrage or agreement to csmith@al.com or @DCameronSmith on X or @davidcameronsmith on Threads. An 80-year-old British man is accused of strangling his elderly wife to death in what police are calling a "terribly sad case." Alan Sharp, 80, of south-west London was in a court on Monday, according to the Metropolitan Police. He is charged with the murder of his wife, Jenny Sharp, at the address they shared. Police were called to the home about 9:30 a.m. on Friday after a woman was found unresponsive. She was sadly pronounced dead a short time later at the scene. Officers arrested Alan Sharp at the scene and an investigation was undertaken by detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command. A forensic post-mortem examination took place on Saturday and gave the cause of death as "manual compression of the neck." Sharp was then charged with murder. Police say they are not looking for anyone else connected with the murder. Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie said, "This is a terribly sad case. The family are being supported by specialist officers and we request their privacy is respected at this incredibly difficult time." The ninety-eight year-old speaker at the Republican National Convention, Sgt. William Pekrul, was born the same year as my mother, making him a teenager when he fought at the Battle of the Bulge, where my uncle Calvin fought and was wounded. He is one of the last of the great American warriors of WW2. I took particular note of his comments regarding America as not just an idea, but his homeland. Later, J.D. Vance, the nominee for vice president, echoed the same thought: that America is more than an idea. It is our home. Sadly, not all Americans share the conviction that America is more than an idea, more than an abstraction. Were this contrary view of our country limited to ordinary people, it would be a harmless irritant, but it isnt. I recently went to the Minnesota Department of Public Services website to fill out a pre-application form for renewing my drivers license. I was asked a series of questions, one of which was my ethnicity. When I typed in American, the form rejected it and instead printed Declined. Apparently, despite having ancestors in America dating back to the late 17th century ancestors who settled near Jamestown, Virginia, where they farmed, fished, and grew tobacco; ancestors who over the centuries fought in all her wars, including the tragic War of Secession I am, according to the omniscient Minnesota Department of Public Services, not permitted to claim American as my ethnicity! For most of its history, America has been an ethno-state primarily composed of white European Christian emigrant-settlers. This racial and religious compatibility contributed to the countrys strong, dynamic physical and institutional development. Today there are forces at work, especially among more extreme liberal partisans, to create domestic strife by employing a putative multiculturalism against Americans of European heritage. The notion that America has always been a nation of immigrants is leftist casuistry to support their egalitarian, multiracial social doctrine currently in conflict with the historic American nation. These radical liberals, who fancy themselves on progressivisms cutting edge, were raised in the hydroponic, synthetic medium of tendentious political and sociological theories. These children of the metropole, many of whom are recently minted citizens, believe that because they are devoid of an American heritage rooted in four centuries of indigenous experience, all Americans should likewise be without a heritage. In the postmodern liberals mind, America remains a nation of immigrants, not settlers, and therefore an American ethnicity is an impossibility. Postmodern liberals suffer from oikophobia, a condition that is inimical to the natural cohesion of the nation-state a condition that repudiates both homeland and countrymen while embracing the alien, the unfamiliar and foreign. Oikophobia explains why postmodern liberalism holds those who possess American ancestry, in some cases going back hundreds of years, in contempt and why they enact policies that seek their deracination and demographic marginalization, all the while encouraging revanchist minoritism. My connection to America is vestigial, spiritual, metaphysical, and vibrational. America and I are not two. My heritage here goes back twelve generations. I grew up in a New England harbor town that was bombed by British ships, looted by Redcoats, and later invaded by Hessian mercenaries. My understanding of America and its history is visceral. The house I lived in was built in 1698, and the Marquis de Lafayette was billeted there in 1778. This same town has for 238 years continuously celebrated Americas independence with a Fourth of July parade led by current members of its Ancient & Honorable Revolutionary Militia. Yet despite the length of my American ancestry, my heritage, and the nature of my lived experience, I am not allowed to claim on a Minnesota driver's license application my ethnicity to be American. Ethnicity implies a shared history, shared ancestry, culture, language, customs, traditions, beliefs, communality and kinship. Ethnicity means centuries, not decades of belonging to a place. To our globalist elites, these distinctions are obstacles in the ongoing deconstruction of what it means to be an American. Today the State believes it has the right to confer or withhold identity. I for one am not going to allow some committee of throttle-bottoms to dictate my identity. That prerogative is mine and mine alone. I refuse to become an American pied noir when I am in fact an American de souche. Claiming ones ethnicity and nationality to be the same is too monistic for the State to allow. Acceptance of the idea that there is an ethnic American violates the pervasive and entrenched dogma of egalitarianism and inclusion and suggests a hierarchy of Americanness. For the State, time has no relevance: 350 years of being an American is a grave rubbing, not an ethnicity. My American ancestry predates our Republic, and that fact adds piquancy to my sense of being an American. It also contributes to my having a deep, robust, organic, and unapologetic connection to what Ive come to call a republican heritage. Todays cosmopolitan neo-American cant be expected to understand this, so why should the Minnesota Department of Public Services be different? Image: Pashi via Pixabay, Pixabay License. As many have expected, Joe Biden has withdrawn from the presidential race. His timing is perfect to allow a high-stakes event at the convention next month where the partys new candidate will be anointed (which I predicted here, here, here). All evidence suggests that he didnt withdraw willingly, and some have even theorized that the announcement went out without his approval or knowledge. Whether the latter is true or not is largely irrelevant, because what appears certain is that Biden was the victim of a coup orchestrated by several nefarious conspirators. The situation reminds me of an iconic scene in Frank Herberts Dune. After having been granted control of the highly profitable and strategically important planet of Arrakis, Duke Leto Atreides was betrayed by the former overseer of Arrakis, Baron Harkonnen, who conspired against him. Paralyzed and facing his inevitable demise as the Baron torments him, Duke Atreides bites into a fake tooth which releases a cloud of toxic gas into the room, which kills everyone in the room except the Baron. Biden did much the same to Obama and the Democrat establishment. With the last gasp of his campaign, he emphatically endorsed Kamala Harris to replace himself on the ticket. He simultaneously ended his own political future while severely wounding the enemies who conspired against him. Bidens endorsement triggered a domino effect of other endorsements, most importantly from James Clyburn and Congressional Black Caucus members. But while Barack Obama praised Bidens choice to exit the race, he and Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have all declined to endorse Kamala Harris as of this writing. Bidens brain may be turning to mush, but Id wager theres enough of the former slippery tactician left in there to know that the Democrat establishment is also conspiring to replace him with someone other than Kamala Harris. And Biden just made that incredibly difficult for them. Why the establishment shouldnt want Kamala headlining the ticket isnt difficult to understand. She is uniquely unlikeable, despite her traits which would ostensibly make her intersectional gold on the Left. This is true even among her own party, as is evident by her quick exit from the 2020 presidential campaign. Her once promising campaign that began with an explosion of enthusiasm, NBC reported in December of 2019, fizzled quickly -- but not before she was able to land some memorable haymakers on Joe Biden in the debates, framing him as a dangerous racist who rubbed elbows with segregationists and opposed racial integration of schools. She went on to experience a similar freefall in support after becoming Joe Bidens diversity pick for vice president. Despite enjoying a net positive approval in early 2021, by June the honeymoon was quickly over. She was mired in controversy over her inept approach to the diplomatic mission of solving the root causes of migration, and fueled further by a painful interview with Lester Holt in which she bristled at his observation that she had not even been to the border. That she was given such an undesirable and impossible task by Joe Biden may very well have been retribution for her attacks against him in the primaries and as a means of gaining some insurance for his presidency. Kamala Harris may have had some success in fashioning a persona as a high-powered female prosecutor of color, but Joe Biden undoubtedly recognized that once the spotlight is maintained on her for more than a few seconds, shes obviously nothing more than a cackling fraud who could never be taken seriously as a president. After June of 2021, Kamalas approval rating inverted and never recovered. But upon announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 campaign, Bidens team posted on X: My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best decision Ive made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Biden and Harris have long been adversaries, so its difficult to imagine that Biden would genuinely endorse her so emphatically, and it would be even more difficult to imagine that Joe Biden thinks that Harris would give Democrats the best path to victory in 2024. She is a wildly unlikeable prosecutor from the failed city of San Francisco, emblematic of the uber-progressive failed state of California, and her chances of winning over the hearts and minds of voters in Midwestern swing states is next to nil. Since victory in November cannot be the reason for it, one must question Bidens motive endorsing her. In my opinion, Obama, Schumer, and Pelosi have been trying to replace Joe in order to prevent more moderates from fleeing the rapidly shrinking Democrat tent in droves as they have been, and Biden just pulled the pin of a political grenade inside the tent. Opening the convention to other candidates has always presented risks. There are questions about how the Biden-Harris war chest would be spent if Biden or Harris is not the nominee, for example. The party would obviously be open to accusations of racism and sexism if Harris is replaced as the seemingly rightful successor to Bidens position on the ticket. And there have long been suggestions by Democrats that replacing Biden is a refutation of the democratic will of the partys voters, expressed clearly in the primary process. All this has just become far more complicated now that Biden, the democratically chosen nominee, has given his explicit blessing to Kamala Harris. Were in uncharted waters, as nothing like this has ever happened before in American history. But what we do know is that Kamala is extremely unlikely to win in November, and that leapfrogging her with a white man, for example, will be seen as heresy from the woke Left. Thats not to say they cant do it, of course. Democrats have shown these past three presidential election primaries that they have no regard for the will of their voters, having rigged the 2016 and 2020 primaries against Bernie Sanders, and now having pressured the democratically selected candidate in 2024 to step down. Some, like Left-leaning pollster Nate Silver, think that Democrats should run Kamala while focusing all energy and money on down-ballot races to mitigate the bleeding. That makes logical sense, but I dont think Democrats have any interest in losing in 2024. The concern for me, as it long has been, is that they bring out the only candidate who can mitigate the cost of replacing a black woman on the ticket, who brings with her substantial name recognition, and has largely been unscathed by political attacks in these past years -- none other than Michelle Obama; it is logical we should not fully count her out. Image: AT via Magic Studio The books that became the Bible were originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. After years of study, I can now pick my way through the original Greek text but dont accuse me of being fluent. Unlike my older brother, who sleep-talked in German in college (he was studying it then), I dont dream in Greek and only use it when Im fully awake exploring a theological point. So why would I wake up with a Greek word Ekeinosringing in my ears? (Ill explain below the phrases import.) And why would Esther 4:14 pop into my head? For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? (NAS, emphasis added) Before we go on, please dont think Im one of those people who puts much stock in dream study. Even if I dream intensely, when I wake up, Im aware that I dreamed, but within a very short time, it vanishes. I suspect many of you can identify with this. But this time, the memory was intense. On these rare occasions, I ask God to help me understand. During the reign of King Saul, God told him to utterly destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:2ff). Saul disobeyed this order. The prophet Samuel had to kill King Agag of Amalek himself. Fast forward a few hundred years. The Jews had been taken to captivity in Babylon and were later freed to return home to Judea. Some stayed and lived under Persian rule, which is where the story of Esther (and Purim) fit. The villain in this story was Haman the Agagite. He managed to get a royal decree to kill all the Jews on a set date. An Amalekite had survived the divinely decreed judgment, and his descendant saw an opportunity for revenge. Jewish Queen Esthers uncle Mordecai gets word to Esther of whats coming. She hesitates to go to King Ahasuerus to plead for the Jews because walking in on him uninvited while he was engaged in royal business could cost her life. Mordecai answers in the verse I quoted above. She was put in her position for a time such as this. The Jews are saved, Hamans neck gets stretched, and the last of the Agagites are eliminated. (From here on Im using the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew original, the Septuagint.) Two things stand out in this story. Esthers uncle rhetorically asks her if this coming moment (a near demonstrative pronoun) is her moment in history. evkei/noj is the far demonstrative that one, not this one. And then it hit me. Esther was looking forward to an immediate action she had to take in this moment. Donald Trump appears to have been brought to mind for that moment (looking back) when the bullet pierced his ear. Remembering that I am human and fallible, I submit that certain things make sense here. First, there are only two possible explanations for Trumps near miss: blind luck and divine providence. It wasnt a staged event. Theres no way to disprove blind luck, but given the fact that his head had to be in a specific position in space for the exact 0.0002 seconds for the bullet to pass, the odds are probably too long to even estimate.* But a God who is infinitely capable could foresee the proper movements and be certain to have the President move exactly where he needed to move exactly when he needed to move. Trump would almost certainly be unaware of the divine means at play in the moment. It is only after the fact that he can understand that he was saved from the Valley of the Shadow of Death in that moment by Almighty God. The virtually impossible (by human standards) protection makes it clear to those who have eyes to see that it was Gods hand on him in that moment. The nattering nabobs of negativism on the Left poo-poo any suggestion that Trump is truly a Christian. But when Dr. Phil asked him if he would forgive those who had done such evil to him, 45 demonstrated a more sophisticated Christianity than many seminary professors. Id like to be able to. Donald Trump understood that his forgiveness requires repentance on the part of the wrongdoer. Trump was willing and able to forgive, but true forgiveness would have to wait. Being a Christian, loyal to YHWH, is somewhat different from being a Christian who has been protected by the divine hands in a way that offers no other answer. Theyre both Christians, but the latter has a much deeper personal appreciation for the divine. We saw that in Trumps acceptance speech. It seemed to say that hes done with mean tweets. Hes now totally focused on the mission YHWH gave to the fallen elohim in Psalm 82. 2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah. 3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 82:2-4 NAS) The Swamp has set itself up as the ultimate authority over everything in everyones lives. Donald Trump is an existential threat to its evil. But this time, hes not coming in as a roaring Lion. Hes coming as a servant of YHWH, fully committed to the divine mission of showing true justice to those who have been harmed. His task is to eliminate the Amalekites in government so that we can live free. Donald Trump has already shown that what happens to him does not matter. Rather, it is what happens to us that animates him. He has literally pledged his life, his fortune, and his sacred honor to America. And, as John Wesley said, Until my work on this earth is done, I am immortal. But when my work for Christ is done I go to be with Jesus. ____________________________ *Do the math. His head is about eight inches from forehead to occiput. The bullet is traveling about 3,000 feet per second. Image courtesy of Todd Schowalter Productions. Ted Noel MD is a retired physician who podcasts and posts on social media as DoctorTed and @vidzette. His Doctor Teds Prescription podcast is available on most podcast outlets. He is a great-grandfather, pilot, golfer, shooter, and Papa fix who is conversant in many scientific, legal, and political disciplines. His greatest skill is critical thinking. Immediately after the attempt on President Trumps life in Butler, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson launched a probe into the security and law enforcement failures by interviewing government entities and officials, and soliciting information from private companies. Here are five key details, from an item out this morning by Landon Mion at Fox News, breaking down the findings from Johnsons 13-page report: The Secret Service failed to show up for a pre-event security briefing on the morning of the rally, which was given to local SWAT and sniper teams. The Secret Service did not initially intend to dispatch snipers to the event, before changing plans for unclear reasons. Local law enforcement alleged communication was siloed and direct contact with the Secret Service outpost and its agents was infrequent. Local law enforcement also alleged they notified command about Thomas Matthew Crooks before the shooting, and received confirmation that the Secret Service got the message and was tracking on Crookss presence and movements. Crooks brought two large bags with him, pictured with his bicycle, personal effects which have all since disappeared. Per Mion, the pre-event briefing provided the different agencies with who was responsible for what, and where everyone should be. Also, from Mion: Attendees of the briefing said no Secret Service or other federal law enforcement were present for the briefing and that the Secret Service initially did not plan to provide sniper units before changing plans for unclear reasons. It is unknown why the Secret Service did not attend the briefing. Now, with some reports suggesting multiple shooters based on the auditory evidence, I have to wonder if this was the cause for the sudden change of planstheres a lot of science behind ballistics, and the plausibility of this scenario seems to be growing. (I also have to wonder why law enforcement would hose off the roof as the scene of the crime immediately after one of the most earth-shattering events in American political history.) Furthermore, the revelation that the Secret Service confirmed it did in fact know about Crookss presence and movements kind of blows the idea that this was all just an unfortunate and unintentional breakdown in communication excuse out of the water; one would only rightly infer that our Secret Service was in on it. To the fifth point: What else did Crooks bring with him in those bags? See below: More questions: This picture of Crooks was taken 1 hour before the sh**ting. Authorities linked this bicycle w the backpack to Crooks, yet they also say he drove his car to the fairgrounds. Accomplice? Found alongside his body was this remote detonator and his cell-phone. pic.twitter.com/t0lMDNOZbT ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) July 17, 2024 That looks like a lot of gear, and for a kid whos apparently never looked up how to build at-home explosives yet had somehow figured out how to do so, Id like to know what else he had on him. Lastly, just some food for thought: Someone in the comments stated that CNN had never live streamed a Trump rally until Butlerwhether or not this is true Im not sure, but I couldnt find any evidence to the contrary. None of us have any expectations of truth and transparency from an FBI or DHS investigation, so lets just pray that loose lips of senility sink ships and we get some real answers from Joe Biden. Image: Fox News video screen grab, used with permission. Since the whole dynamic of the 2024 race for the presidency was totally upended in the aftermath of President Bidens abysmal performance in the Trump-Biden debate on CNN on June 27, former president Donald Trump has done few interviews preferring to allow Biden to twist in the wind. The failed assassination attempt on Trump on July 13 in Pennsylvania went further in resetting the Election 2024 race. The contest is now seen as the Republicans to lose. Yesterdays historic news that President Biden was abruptly ending his campaign for a second term, and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor, sent further shockwaves into the already unpredictable race for the presidency. After last weeks successful Republican Convention that nominated Trump and his VP pick Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump and Vance sat down for their first television interview on Saturday. Significant portions of the interview, with FOX News anchor Jesse Watters, will be shown on Watters World tonight (Monday July 22) on FOX News at 8:00 p.m. ET/10:00 p.m. PT. In advance of the program this evening, FOX News has released excerpts from the interview. The video clip is here. The first batch was reported on at AT here yesterday. Later on Sunday, transcripts and video clips of three more Q&As from the interview were released and they continue to put some new information on the record, pointing to the Republicans strategies for the upcoming race and how they will address the current vice president and possibly the 2024 Democrat presidential nominee, Kamala Harris. On the state of the Democratic party and the upcoming Democratic National Convention: JESSE WATTERS, FOX News Host: You don't even know who you're running against. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No. WATTERS: You could be debating Kamala. You could be debating Kamala. What's going on? TRUMP: I have no idea. So, we are the most unified party, I think, that's ever existed. We had 100 percent of the delegates that are with us. And you saw the spirit. There was never a convention like this. And it's so fresh in everyone's mind. It was just a beautiful event. It was everything about it was beautiful. The camaraderie, but the unity, there's never been anything like it. 100 percent of the people for us. SEN. J.D. VANCE: Yes. TRUMP: And they're for the party. They're for everybody. They're for the senators. They're for the congressmen and women that are running. It was a beautiful thing to watch. There was no dissension. There were no fights on the floor. I mean, some of these conventions are vicious. VANCE: Yes. WATTERS: There might be a vicious [Democrat] convention in Chicago. VANCE: It could be. TRUMP: It could be. WATTERS: So, they're going to cook up something at the [Democrat] convention. They might throw [Michigan Gov.] Gretchen Whitmer at you. They might throw [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom at you. They might throw Michelle Obama at you. TRUMP: Yes, I wouldn't be worried about any of them. Look, they have bad policies. Forget about the people. They have an open border policy. They have a high tax policy. They have a bad military policy. The whole world is going woke. Their world is going woke. The Green New Scam. We're spending all our money on things that don't work. The whole thing is a mess. Jesse Watters interviewed Donald Trump and J.D. Vance July 20, 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Screenshot of FOX News video by Peter Chowka. Used with permission of FOX News. Watters next question was addressed to Sen. Vance, including about the possibility of removing President Biden from office using the 25th Amendment to the Constitution. The video link is here. WATTERS: Is it a coup against Joe Biden? TRUMP: Sort of, yes. VANCE: I think it is. I mean, look, there's a constitutional process, the 25th Amendment. If Joe Biden can't run for president, he can't serve as president. And if they want to take him down because he's mentally incapable of serving, invoke the 25th Amendment. You don't get to sort of do this in the most politically beneficial way for Democrats. If it's an actual problem, they should take care of it in the appropriate way. In the final interview excerpt released yesterday, (link is here), Watters asked Trump about President Joe Bidens relationship with former President Barack Obama. Keep in mind that this interview was conducted less than 24 hours before Biden announced the end of his re-election campaign. TRUMP: And now, Biden's hating Kamala because she's out there now campaigning for herself. She's out there trying to get him to quit so she can run for president. And she's not a competent person. She shouldn't be president. I mean, she's being laughed at all over the world. WATTERS: Barack Obama trying to get him out. Barack Obama still plotting against you, trying to take you out. TRUMP: They got some big problems over there. First of all, Obama hates Biden, and Biden hates Obama. And when Obama walked Biden out a couple of weeks ago off the stage [at the Los Angeles fundraiser], he didn't have to do that. He could've let him wave to the people a little bit longer. I don't know if Joe knew who he was waving to, but he was waving. And all of a sudden, Obama comes along and grabs him, come on Joe, like he was a child. It made him look so bad. And I know people with Biden, I know people with Obama, and they were not happy about that. It made him [Biden] look really bad. Like a child. Like a child. They don't like each other. And I think that it's pretty tough. This guy [Biden] got, what, 14, 15 million votes? Delegates, he had the votes. So, he goes through a process, he gets them, and the whole thing has been a con. Look, when they kept him in the basement in the first [election in 2020], those people should be looked at, because they lied to the American public. Peter Barry Chowka is a veteran journalist who has covered national politics and other topics for over five decades. His most recent interview on BBC Radio in the U.K. can be listened to here. His web page with links to his work and a bio is http://peter.media. Peters extensive American Thinker archive: http://tinyurl.com/pcathinker. His X/Twitter account is @pchowka. President Biden and assorted members of the Government-Media Complex have recently called for Donald Trump and his supporters to tone down their rhetoric, even after Trump was shot. And despite the likelihood that he was shot, at least in part, because President Biden and assorted members of the Government-Media Complex have smeared him and his supporters as far-right, racist, fascist, Nazi-loving, white supremacists for the better part of a decade, Democrats and media members incessantly refer to Trump and his MAGA supporters as extremists. And yet they are the ones who love employing Hitler analogies when speaking of more than one-third of the nations populace. So I will do likewise. When in Rome, right? This is as if Hitler called on Germans to dispense with their anti-Semitism or tone down their anti-Jewish rhetoric. It is preposterous on its face. Lets take a look at who is truly extreme. Democrats claim Trump was responsible for Jan. 6 even though he urged his supporters to demonstrate peacefully and patriotically and offered thousands of National Guardsmen to protect the Capitol prior to that date. (Nancy Pelosi turned him down. Curious.) Now they wont accept responsibility for Trumps attempted assassination even though they have been calling him (and his supporters) Nazis/fascists/Hitler/extremists/domestic terrorists/far-right/deplorables/etc. for years on end. That is who they are. Democrats and their numerous sycophants believe in unfettered abortion up to (and maybe just a bit after) the moment of birth. Is infanticide not extreme? They believe that the children who are allowed to be born should be encouraged to take hormone blockers and have their genitals mutilated in an effort to change sexes. Not extreme? More? Telling citizens they are to be locked down indefinitely, may have to give up their means of employment, and are not allowed to attend weddingsor funeralsof family members. Extreme? Telling those same citizens they must allow an unvetted, experimental, mRNA vaccine into their bodiesmultiple timesor else. Extreme? Disdaining and attempting to decimate the protections afforded us under the Bill of Rights, trying to repeal the First and Second Amendments. Not extreme? Believing the government has the rightvia taxationto take any amount of money from its citizens that it wishes, or deems its fair share, especially from successful ones. Extreme? Intentionally leaving a border wide open to allow anyone from anywhereterrorists, criminals, and the mentally and physically ill includedto enter the country, and then granting them more favors and rights than American citizens. Extreme? Falsely and unjustly accusing your political opponents of doingand beingjust what you are doingand are. Extreme? Attempting to imprisonor possibly even assassinatethose same political opponents? Extreme? Sadly, experience shows that Democrats and their numerous sycophants who read a piece such as this will promptly dismiss it out of hand. Extreme? Image generated by AI. After pulling out of the presidential race Sunday, many political observers are asking, "Where's Joe?" After all, the pullout was highly irregular, with no camera appearances, no evidence of even involvement from Biden, no press conferences. There was just a written statement with a mechanized signature. Is the guy even alive? Is he in some kind of health distress? That he has staffers covering for him certainly sets off an alarm of sorts, given his dementia. And more to the point, is this something he was forced into doing against his will? Some observers think so, saying he was muscled into exiting with a warning that the 25th Amendment was waiting for him if he didn't. It sounds very mafia-like. Here are some observations as to how strange this is: Bidens not at the White House. Hes made no public appearance since a staffer took control of his X account and announced he was not running. Theres no evidence Biden knows what happened today. Also: do we have any evidence Biden is even alive right now? This is banana Sean Davis (@seanmdav) July 22, 2024 One would think that a letter to the American people from the president announcing his decision to step aside would not be signed using a digital signature and would be accompanied by a photo op and a scheduled conference in the morning that followed. Instead we have a Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) July 22, 2024 Joe Biden didnt tell the country on camera that hes dropping out of the 2024 race. His intern did it via a post and didnt say why. Hes either too sick to go on camera or hes too embarrassed that Democrat elites staged a successful coup against him. This is not normal. Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) July 22, 2024 The sitting President of the United States announced today via a letter that hes not seeking reelection. We havent seen him, we havent watched an address, we have nothing at all, other than a letter on personal letterhead. This isnt the radio-era, there are no fireside Wesley Hunt (@WesleyHuntTX) July 22, 2024 We have a president who steps down without making a public appearance, a regime that quickly anoints a replacement with no democratic process, & a bureaucracy brazenly lying about providing insufficient protection for opposition leaders. When did we become a 3rd world country? Jake Novak (@jakejakeny) July 22, 2024 Why did Biden not make a live or video address to the public? Why a letter that someone else tweeted out in his name? https://t.co/kF3LxDujHQ J Michael Waller (@JMichaelWaller) July 21, 2024 Anyone else find it strange that this letter doesnt appear under Statements and Releases from The White House? https://t.co/7xUq6yITJY pic.twitter.com/KSDqDo8Qj2 ALX (@alx) July 22, 2024 yoo... this is getting weird... has *anyone* talked to the current President of the United States today?! https://t.co/jWT5002dGa Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) July 22, 2024 If this were a hostage situation, that letter would not qualify as proof of life. Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) July 22, 2024 So right now, who is President? Dr Naomi Wolf (@naomirwolf) July 22, 2024 Some thought the timing was funny: Does anyone find it odd Biden dropped out of the race with a signed memo and not a video? I get that hes sick, but really, didnt the American people deserve to hear it from him directly? Why did it have it happen yesterday? Could it not have waited until after hes pic.twitter.com/tDKJubL9eW Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 22, 2024 Biden's supporters say he has a "mild cold," presumably from COVID. Where have we heard that term before when a leader was strangely unavailable. I remember the Kremelin spokesweasels using it, when then-President Yurii Andropov was on his deathbed in the mid-1980s. Some think he has health issues that go beyond dementia: Is anyone else thinking he had a massive stroke late last night and the whole damn West Wing is cosplaying The Death of Stalin? Stephen Green (@VodkaPundit) July 22, 2024 JUST IN: Frank Biden confirms health "absolutely" played a role in his brother Joe Biden *DROPPING OUT.* The White House and the media *DENIED* this for years. He also said they will enjoy whatever time we have left." Wait, is Joe Biden TERMINAL? pic.twitter.com/dPKLUPHxPQ Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) July 22, 2024 Roger Stone reads between the lines for the skullduggery that may be going on: Kamala moves quickly to try to sew up the nomination, but Obama may have other plans. While Biden may have endorsed Kamala, he is doing it to thwart Obama. Obama has not endorsed Kamala. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton and her hillbilly rapist husband are maneuvering to try to put her Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) July 21, 2024 And there's another twist here it's hard to say if they are friends or enemies: BREAKING: Michelle Obama is now basically operating as a shadow Chief of Staff for Kamala in terms of lining up donors and support, one WH official says Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) July 21, 2024 It's like the Kremlin, circa 1986. There are signs Biden was muscled into doing it: The 25th Amendment. If so, how can he continue as president? https://t.co/6hdQ8nEsXM Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) July 22, 2024 He didnt give up power. Donors froze his bank accounts. It was a soft coup. One that invalidated an entire democratic primary process. https://t.co/BkpXwvC4xe Stephen Miller (@StephenM) July 22, 2024 And rage: Biden is not addressing the country because he is fuming raging mad. This is not what he wanted. He feels betrayed by everyone including Obama and Pelosi. He was pushed out the door. So he will try to cool his temper before he talks. Julie Kelly (@julie_kelly2) July 21, 2024 Hearing Jill's rampage lasted over 2 hours Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) July 21, 2024 So maybe he isn't sick and out of pocket -- he's inside throwing things along with Jill. Whatever it is, it isn't healthy for our democracy, and it's hard to think of any examples like this from America's past that resemble so closely the death of Andropov, or Konstantin Chernenko, or Boris Yeltsin's final days, or those of Fidel Castro or Hugo Chavez. Dictators like those like to hide what's going on when an oligarch is dying. As for Joe, well, where is he? Clint Eastwood's famously empty chair of 2012 has started to get literal. Image: Screen shot from ABC News video, via YouTube Last week, a CrowdStrike-related incident caused an outage on millions of Windows devices around the world. It was so severe that affected companies are still working to resolve the problem. Now, Microsoft has revealed details about how many Windows PCs were affected by the outage. Although Microsoft was not the source of the problem, it only impacted companies whose systems are built on Windows. More specifically, to those who use CrowdStrike cyber security solutions. So, in a blog post, the Redmond giant described the measures its taking to help its customers recover the normal functioning of their computers. 8.5 million Windows devices impacted by CrowdStrike faulty update The blog post confirms that around 8.5 million Windows devices were affected by the situation. This represents less than 1% of Windows computers worldwide. Since CrowdStrike cyber security solutions target businesses, normal users did not suffer from the dreaded BSOD. In any case, it is striking that the company massively deployed an update without proper prior testing. Many companies are struggling to recover their systems. The problem is that the solutions offered by CrowdStrike are not automatic but must be applied manually to each PC. For example, having to boot Windows in safe mode, find a particular file, and delete it. These types of processes that seem simple become an IT nightmare in environments with hundreds of devices. So, the platforms of multiple affected companies are not yet fully recovered. In fact, it could take weeks to put everything in order. Microsoft details the steps set to help solve the outage Returning to Microsoft, the blog post details the steps set by the company to help resolve the Windows outage as quickly as possible. Microsofts measures include direct communication with CrowdStrike, the deployment of hundreds of engineers specifically dedicated to addressing this situation and collaborating with companies that offer services similar to CrowdStrike. It also created a post with instructions to solve the problem and is updating the status of the situation in real-time. There is even an official recovery tool to try to make things as easy as possible. The CrowdStrike incident was one of the most disastrous in modern IT history. From stores to airports, they stopped their operations due to the problem. It will probably cause movements in the industry of cyber security tool providers and mark a before and after in how update deployments are handled. Police in Greenland have arrested anti-whaling crusader Paul Watson under an international warrant. The Paul Watson Foundation says Waton, who co-founded marine conservation group Greenpeace, was arrested Sunday upon his arrival in Nuuk, Greenland. Video posted by the group showed him being loaded into a police van at the docks with his arms cuffed behind his back. He was on his 72-meter ship on its way to the Northwest Passage to attempt to intercept a new Japanese whaling ship. Watson was picked up by Danish federal police on a warrant issued by Japan for his previous anti-whaling interventions in the Antarctic region. "We're completely shocked, as the Red Notice had disappeared a few months ago," Locky MacLean, Ship Operation's Director for the foundation said. "We implore the Danish government to release Captain Watson and not entertain this politically-motivated request." Watson was featured in the TV series "Whale Wars" and has gained notoriety for his confrontations with whaling vessels. Samsung recently revealed that its Galaxy Tab S10 series would arrive before the end of this year. Rumors say the new flagship tablets will run a MediaTek chipset globally, a surprising switch from Qualcomms Snapdragon processors. We now have more proof of this rumored switch. After the Galaxy Tab S10+, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has surfaced on Geekbench with MediaTeks Dimensity 9300+ flagship SoC. Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra spotted with MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ Last month, the US version of the Galaxy Tab S10+ (model number SM-X828U) surfaced on the popular benchmarking platform Geekbench running the Dimensity 9300+. The same chipset has now been spotted on the global version of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra (SM-X926B). Both devices appeared with 12GB of RAM and scored 2,141 in single-core Geekbench tests. Multi-core scores are 6,952 and 5,533, respectively. But more than the scores, these listings are proof that Samsungs next-gen flagship tablets will feature a MediaTek chipset globally. We have yet to see the base Galaxy Tab S10 on the benchmarking platform. There are rumors that the company might cancel the base model and only launch Plus and Ultra. But if it exists, it is likely to follow its siblings to the MediaTek camp, leaving the Snapdragon camp for good or worse. Theoretically, the Dimensity 9300+ is on the same page as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the successor to last years Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that powered the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Both new chipsets are produced on TSMCs 4nm process node and feature identical CPU speeds. In fact, they go neck on neck in almost every area. Even the real-world performance has been comparable, so it might not be a bad switch at all. That said, its the first time Samsung is using a MediaTek chipset in its flagship tablets. Switching from Snapdragon probably wasnt a straightforward decision. Something must have weighed in favor of the Dimensity this time around. Perhaps its the cost. Qualcomms flagship chipsets are costlier than MediaTeks, so the Korean firm might be saving a few bucks while still offering a competitive processor in the Galaxy Tab S10 series. Both chipsets will get a successor later this year MediaTek and Qualcomm are hard at work on their next-gen Dimensity 9400 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. These chipsets will arrive later this year. It remains to be seen if Samsung will launch the Galaxy Tab S10 series before the two chipmakers introduce their upgraded solutions. The new tablets run Android 14 out of the box, so the company might not delay their release until late 2024. Expect more leaks in the coming months. It seems that Samsung Messages will no longer come pre-installed on Galaxy phones in the US. So, Galaxy devices will rely entirely on Google Messages. The app has been losing key features for a while now, so the move is not a surprise. Samsung Messages is still available for download, but that might change soon. For some time now, many Android phones have used Google Messages as their default messaging app. Meanwhile, Samsung Messages was still the default one on Galaxy phones. This changed with the Galaxy S21 series, where Google Messages was set by default, although Samsung Messages still came pre-installed. However, as spotted by Max Weinbach, Samsung completely removed its messaging app from the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6. New-gen Galaxy phones only come with Google Messages in the US; no more Samsung Messages The company is implementing the change first in the US. Mishaal Rahman confirmed that the Canadian and European variants come with Samsung Messages preloaded. However, Google Messages remains the default messaging app in those regions. Users in the US can still download Samsung Messages from the Galaxy Store. But, since the latest movements of the South Korean giant suggest a possible Samsung Messages shutdown, it is recommended to move to Google Messages. Additionally, Samsung Messages no longer offers RCS support, one of the most important messaging features today. Its description in the Galaxy Store even says that some features will be excluded from the app. Last year, multiple telecom carriers in the US disabled RCS support for Samsung Messages. They began to require people to use their proprietary messaging apps or resort to Google Messages to enjoy it. The latter offers full RCS support, which is especially important now that iMessage will be compatible with the standard in iOS 18. Lastly, it is quite likely that future Galaxy devices will come without the Samsung Messages app preloaded in more regions. A late-night game of ding-dong-ditch ended with a Maine teenager shot in the leg and a homeowner in jail, authorities said. At around 1 a.m. Saturday, a group of teenagers knocked on the door of a home on Waterford Road in Harrison, about 30 miles west of Lewiston, then fled, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. The prank, known for decades as "ding-dong-ditch," has more recently gained new life as the "door knock challenge" trend on TikTok. As the teens ran off, the resident, 30-year-old Vincent Martin, allegedly fired multiple shots with a handgun, hitting one of the teens in the calf. Deputies responded to a report of shots fired, and found blood in the driveway. The teens were already gone but soon after, deputies received a report of a walk-in gunshot victim at Bridgton Hospital. The sheriff's office said the teen, who was not identified, sustained "serious, but not life-threatening injuries" and was listed in "stable condition." Martin was arrested at his home and booked into the Cumberland County Jail on felony charges of elevated aggravated assault and aggravated reckless conduct, and two misdemeanor counts on discharging a firearm near a dwelling. According to jail records, Martin was being held on $10,000 bail. With TMX A blue spot birthmark is very common in babies, especially among babies of African or Asian descent. (NHS) Birthmarks are very common, with more than 10% of babies born with some type of birthmark. They come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, colours and textures - however, one type of birthmark is not well-recognised among medical professionals despite it being very common among babies of colour. A blue spot birthmark, known as congenital dermal melancytosis or Mongolian blue spot, is most common in babies of African or Asian descent. However, they can occur in babies of any race or ethnicity. The mark appears as a blue-gray spot or patch that ranges in size. They can be small, measuring just a few millimetres, or very large, covering areas of the body, and can slowly fade or become less prominent over time. However, because of the blue-gray appearance, they can sometimes be mistaken for bruises. When this occurs, it can lead to devastating impact, such as that on Laxmi Thapa, a mother who was recently arrested after her six-month-old sons birthmarks were mistaken for bruising. What happens when blue spot birthmarks are mistaken for bruising? Blue spot birthmarks are sometimes mistaken for bruising, but campaigners are calling on medical staff to be better trained on the issue. (Getty Images) (Getty Images) In a BBC report, Thapa, who is Nepalese and lives in Basingstoke, spoke of her ordeal and said she was treated "like a criminal" by medical staff and police, who suspected her of child abuse because they misdiagnosed her babys birthmark as bruises. This was despite the fact that her sons birthmarks, which appeared on several parts of his body, had been noted on his medical records after he was born last November. Thapa said she spent 20 hours in a cell at Basingstoke Police Station. She was later released pending a medical report. A visit to her home by social services then determined her son was not in any danger and scans on her son showed no injuries. Police confirmed that no assault had taken place. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would not comment on individual cases, but said staff followed guidelines and added: "Differentiating between suspected bruising and Mongolian blue spot is complex, and protocols have to be followed." Campaigners including Faye Wheeler, founder of Blue Spot Campaign, are calling for more awareness about the birthmarks. She told Yahoo UK that she has received many other reports of experiences similar to Thapas story from other parents. "I am already supporting a new family going through a very similar experience to Laxmis," she says. "There is misinformation on the NHS website that Blue Spot is present at birth. This is not true. "Health professionals working in the community that turn to the website for guidance are then misinformed. The first paediatrician that checked my son said Ive never heard of it. I would like to see much more training on this." What is the key difference between a blue spot birthmark and a bruise? There are a few key differences between a blue spot birthmark and a bruise. (Abby Lu / Wikimedia Commons / Getty Images) Wheeler explains: "The key difference between blue spot and a bruise is that a bruise changes colour quite quickly over time. Bruising can turn purple, green and yellow. Blue spot tends to stay blue or grey. Blue spot can become more prominent and more can appear or it can slowly fade and reduce in size. But it is very gradual." She hopes to encourage more research and data collection about blue spots, so that more medical staff can be trained about it. "There needs to be a separate protocol for the possibility of it rather than triggering safeguarding which leads to a complete waste of resources," she says. "Social services and the police do not need to be called until medical tests are completed as that is when the decision can be made as to whether their involvement is necessary. "Children undergoing tests in hospitals are safe. The information on the NHS website needs to be updated. I would also like to see anyone working with children to have awareness included in their training, for example, child care courses in colleges. "The statistics I have seen are that blue spot appears on 80% of mixed ethnicity, Black and Asian children. It also appears in 10% of Caucasian children." Wheeler continues: "With an increasingly more diverse society, more must be done. I have been gathering research for the last four years. I receive no funding for the work that I do and I manage this around my part time position as a psychotherapist and I am also a mum. Securing funding would allow my research to continue and support families through a very traumatic time." Read more about health and wellness: Carpetright has been bought in a rescue deal by rival Tapi, but will shut more than 200 stores and cut more than 1,000 jobs. Flooring retailer Tapi has agreed to buy the Carpetright brand, intellectual property, 54 stores and two warehouses in a pre-pack administration deal. Administrators at PwC said the deal will save more than 308 current jobs at Carpetright. However, the deal will not save the majority of the business, including its head office in Purfleet, Essex. Tapi has struck a deal to save dozens of Carpetright stores (Tapi Carpets/PA) Carpetright, which is owned by Nestware Holdings, filed a notice to appoint administrators earlier this month, after struggling in the face of weaker demand and a major cyber attack in April. The company employed 1,852 people and operated 273 stores across the UK before entering insolvency. Administrators said it will retain workers at its head office for the short term as it winds down operations. However, it said 1,018 workers will face immediate redundancy across its stores which were not part of the rescue deal. Zel Hussain, joint administrator at PwC, said: The sale of some stores and the brand to Tapi has allowed over 300 jobs to be saved, and gives the Carpetright brand the chance to continue and flourish under its new ownership. However, it is deeply saddening that for the remainder of the workforce there will be redundancies. We are committed to helping those affected and will make sure redundancy claims are processed as quickly as possible. The administrators said orders made at stores now set for closure are unable to be fulfilled recommended customers to contact their card provider in order to potentially secure a refund. Tapi was founded in 2015 by Lord Harris of Peckham, who also founded Carpetright. He sold all his stock in Carpetright in 2014. Tapi has grown rapidly in recent years and runs about 175 shops across the UK. Jeevan Karir, managing director of Tapi Carpets & Floors, said: Our goal, initially, was to try to save all of Carpetright. However, as we looked into the details of the situation, we quickly established that saving the entire business was unviable. Mr Karir added that Tapi was mindful of how the competition authorities would look at any deal when assessing how many stores it could save through a rescue deal. Nestware chief executive Kevin Barrett said: Our focus over the last week has been to secure external investment to ensure job security for a number of our Carpetright colleagues up and down the country. Whilst we succeeded in finding a buyer, the deal is limited to a select number of stores rather than the business as a whole and will sadly impact a large number of colleagues and staff. We have tried everything to turn Carpetright around and Im truly sorry that we were unable to save more jobs. Recently, Carpetright has suffered from weaker demand for carpets as homeowners shifted towards hard flooring, as well as a major cyber attack in April which halted trading. It said earlier this month that the cyber attacks impact on sales affected efforts by the company to restructure its operations in recent months. Climate groups and unions joined forces at a protest outside Tata Steels London headquarters on Monday where they handed the firm an open letter calling for a just transition that protected workers. A group of representatives from organisations including Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion, Community Trade Union (CTU) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) gathered outside the offices. They held banners which read Save our steel and In solidarity, before posting the letter through the buildings letterbox. The group was calling for alternative solutions to decarbonising Tatas Port Talbot plant in south Wales in order to prevent mass job losses. The firm shut down one of two blast furnaces at the plant, with the second due to be shut in September under plans to switch to a greener method of steel production, which requires fewer workers. Unions are opposed to the changes, which will lead to the loss of around 2,800 jobs, although Tata has argued its restructuring programme is designed to stem unsustainable losses of more than 1 million a day. Tata has said it would make every effort to mitigate the impact of the transformation on affected employees and the local community. In the letter, a coalition of climate groups said the new Labour government brought an opportunity to renegotiate for a fairer and greener transition in the steel industry. It read: We firmly support the workers demands for a just transition that secures future-proof decarbonised production while protecting jobs. Protesters outside Tata Steels offices in London (Kristian Buus/Greenpeace/PA) Tata Steels current plan would see thousands of jobs lost, and be devastating for communities in South Wales and beyond. The letter warned that closing down the blast furnaces without immediate replacement would simply offshore our emissions by leaving the UK reliant on importing dirty steel from countries such as China and India. At the protest, the groups argued for keeping the blast furnace open while transitioning workers gradually and adopting new technologies, such as hydrogen-based steel making and open slag bath furnaces. Paul Morozzo, Greenpeace UK climate campaigner, said steel was essential for the green transition, including wind turbines and electric vehicles. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: Workers and the work that are absolutely central to the transition should be supported through it and as part of it and that is the only way you can have a proper transition. Mr Morozzo added that it would be a massive contradiction if the green movement did not support workers. One of the reasons we care about climate change is because we care about people, he said. If the very act of trying to solve climate change can ruin a whole load of peoples lives and communities and throw people on the scrap heap, that would undermine the very principles we support in the first place. Former steelworker Alun Davies, from CTU who worked at Tata for several years, warned that closing the furnaces quickly was the wrong decision. We understand that we have to decarbonise, he told PA. But he added that there had been a blatant disregard for people in the way Tata Steel was trying to adapt to lower carbon practices. He described how friends had been breaking down due to stress, while other workers had been struggling to come to terms with losing their job. Activists posted the letter at Tata Steels London offices (Kristian Buus/Greenpeace/PA) We just need a bit of longevity for that furnace to stay alive for a bit longer so we can transition people and bring them along for the ride, he said. Otherwise, people are just seeing the transition as negative its destroying their lives, its destroying their families and thats the opposite of what it can be. Mr Davies said there were other options but that Tata Steel was not willing to consider them because its too costly and it eats into the profit. We understand at the moment theyre losing money, but with a greener transition they would make money but over a longer period of time, he said. On behalf of the steelworkers union, the letters signatories, which included more than 30 groups such as Friends of the Earth, Green New Deal Rising, and E3G, outlined several demands. They called on the Government and Tata to commit to maintaining production and jobs at scale, negotiating with unions on transition plans and ensuring no compulsory redundancies. The Labour governments in Wales and Westminster have also been pushing Tata not to pursue any compulsory redundancies, with promises of 3 billion in extra funding for the steel industry in the UK. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: Steel is vital for a vibrant, secure economy. Our steel sector needs a government working in partnership with trade unions and business to secure a green steel transition thats both right for the workforce and delivers economic growth. Decarbonisation does not mean deindustrialisation, and we will be working to safeguard jobs as part of these negotiations, securing the future of steelmaking communities for generations to come. PA has contacted Tata Steel for comment. The Prime Minister has said the UKs European Union neighbours did not urge him to rejoin them. Sir Keir Starmer made the comments during a House of Commons statement on the 47-member European Political Community (EPC) summit which took place at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire last Thursday, and the Nato summit in Washington DC earlier this month. Sir Keir told MPs that migration featured among the discussions with other European leaders, as he committed the UK to a reset relationship with European nations. He said: We had a very full discussion about illegal migration, about the law enforcement aspect of it, as Ive explained, but also about the root causes of migration conflict, poverty and climate change being key among them. Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts questioned the Prime Ministers decision not to rejoin the EUs economic structures, adding: A core element of collective European security is collective economic security. Sir Keir replied: I think we can have a better relationship, but I dont think we can simply ignore the referendum and go back into the EU. And in the discussions I had with our European allies, none of them were urging us to take that course. They were interested in the argument we were making about a better relationship and how that can work in relation to trade, in relation to education, in relation to security and defence. During the statement, Sir Keir also confirmed EU laws would not be applied in the UK without the consent of MPs. This came in response to Conservative MP Mike Wood (Kingswinford and South Staffordshire), who said: Can the Prime Minister confirm that his Government will not accept EU rules automatically applying in Britain, unless they have been specifically agreed by this Parliament? The Prime Minister replied: Yes. Tory former culture secretary Sir John Whittingdale asked about support for Armenia, to the east of Turkey, both in resolving its conflict with Azerbaijan but also in pursuing its ambition to move closer to Nato and to the EU in the face of Russian threats and intimidation. Sir Keir said this did come up at Blenheim Palace with a joint resolve to provide the support that is needed, the framework that is needed for peace and security across the entire region. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak warned the Prime Minister of the trade-offs involved in pursuing a security and defence co-operation pact with the European Union. He urged Sir Keir in his conversations with other European leaders to keep the option of further third country migration partnerships on the table as other countries have been discussing, after the end of the previous governments proposal to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda. The leader of the Opposition said: I hope (Sir Keir) can reassure the House that any closer co-operation with the EU will not adversely affect the technological and procurement aspects of our other alliances such as Aukus (the Australia, UK and United States partnership). A US election featuring Donald Trump and Kamala Harris would give voters a choice between the prosecutor and the criminal, a Democratic Party group has said. Vice president Ms Harris is the frontrunner to be the Democratic nominee for the US presidential election in November, after president Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid following concerns within the party that he would be unable to defeat Republican nominee Mr Trump. A spokesperson for Democrats Abroad has described Ms Harris as an energising factor in the wake of Mr Bidens resignation. John Scardino, a spokesperson for Democrats Abroad, told the PA news agency that he believed Ms Harris would unite America. Mr Scardino said: Shes a hard worker. She is incredibly intelligent and I do think she is going to be out there campaigning like crazy to get every vote that she possibly can. He added: If she becomes the nominee, then voters have a choice between the prosecutor and the criminal in the November election. And I think that really draws an appropriate and stark contrast between what the Democrats are offering and what the Republicans are offering. Trump aides had wanted Joe Biden to remain in the race (Carlos Osorio/AP) I think that there is a lot of excitement about her as the potential nominee. Ms Harris is the first woman, black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. If she becomes the Democratic nominee and defeats Mr Trump in November, she would be the first woman to serve as president. Mr Scardino said that this sends a message to some voters who may not have been as enthusiastic about the choices in the election, that this may be somebody that they feel may be more sensitive to their issues. So I think its an energising choice. I think that Kamala Harris as a candidate can be a real energising factor, he said. He added: I think Kamala Harris, in carrying forward a lot of the programmes that Joe Biden has set in motion, could potentially appeal to a lot of those voters who feel disaffected by the Republican Party led by Donald Trump. Mr Biden said on Sunday that choosing Ms Harris as his running mate was the best decision Ive made and endorsed her as his successor. Mr Scardino added that he believed Ms Harris had the opportunity to be a unifier. He said: In the last 24 hours since Biden announced that he was stepping down theres 100 million US dollars that has been donated to Democratic candidates. And of that, about half has gone to Kamala Harris. These are record-breaking amounts it is an indicator of where support may lie. So when you look at the amount of support that has flooded into not only supporting Kamala Harris, but I think Democrats in general, (it is) a very good indicator of her, of the opportunity that she has to be a unifier. Israeli delegation to attend new round of ceasefire talks in Qatar: PM's office Xinhua) 09:06, July 22, 2024 People take part in a protest calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem, on July 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) JERUSALEM, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that an Israeli delegation will visit Qatar later this week to resume negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal. Netanyahu held a lengthy discussion on Sunday with members of the negotiation team and senior security officials regarding the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip, according to his office. The delegation, headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, will arrive in Doha on Thursday and engage in indirect negotiations brokered by Qatar and Egypt and supported by the United States. The new round of negotiations had been delayed for about a week after Hamas halted the talks in protest over an Israeli attack on Khan Younis on July 13, which killed at least 90 Palestinians. Previous rounds of talks in Qatar have so far failed to produce an agreement to end the more than nine months of conflict in Gaza, with both sides blaming each other for the deadlock. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) A death-row inmate in Utah plans to plead for his life this week ahead of a scheduled execution next month that would be the state's first in 14 years. Taberon Dave Honie will appear before the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole to seek clemency in the gruesome 1998 knifing of his ex-girlfriend's mother. Defense lawyers maintain that Honie's traumatic childhood, past head injuries, history of substance abuse and "extreme intoxication" fueled the bloody slaying of Claudia Benn in front of her three young granddaughters after he broke into her home. In a petition that seeks to have his sentence reduced to life in prison, they also said Honie, a native of Arizona's Hopi Indian Reservation, has expressed "genuine remorse and sadness" since his arrest, the Associated Press reported. Prosecutors have called those arguments a "long deflection of responsibility that never once acknowledges any of the savage acts he inflicted on Claudia or her granddaughters." Benn, 49, was killed after Honie, then 22, smashed open a sliding glass door at her home in Cedar City, north of Zion National Park, early on on July 9, 1998. Honie badly beat Benn, then used a large butcher knife to slash her throat and mutilate her private parts, and also told authorities he attempted to anally rape Benn before realizing she was dead. Honie was arrested by cops who responded to a neighbor's 911 call and caught him with his hands and forearms covered in blood after ordering everyone in the house to come outside. His parole board hearing is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, with an additional half day reserved on Wednesday, if needed, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. It's the first of its kind since 2010, when death row inmate Ronnie Lee Gardner sought mercy for the murder of lawyer Michael Burdell during an attempted escape from a Salt Lake City courthouse in 1985. Gardner's request was denied and he was executed by firing squad three days later, according to the Tribune. Unless Honie prevails at his hearing, he's set to receive a lethal injection on Aug. 8. Officials initially planned to use an untested combination of execution drugs but on Saturday said they would instead rely on pentobarbital after Honie's lawyers said the other drugs could cause him "excruciating pain." Have we been showering at the wrong time of day? (Getty Images) (Getty) If you begin each day by hopping into the shower, you might be surprised to learn that you could be choosing the wrong time of day to lather up. Previous findings by Swedish beauty and wellbeing brand FOREO in partnership with YouGov, found that 61% of Brits opt to shower in the morning, while further studies reveal less than one in four of us opt to shower at night. Of course, an early morning shower to get you feeling fresh for the day makes total sense, but there are actually some pretty important reasons why you may need to switch your lather time from post to pre-bed. Showering at night stops you sleeping with dangerous bacteria Not only does a hot shower at the end of the day feel good, showering at night also ensures that you are clean when getting into bed. "If you are waiting until the morning to shower, sweat builds up throughout the night, creating the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to grow," explains an expert from MattressNextDay. Research suggests that E. Coli could live in mattresses, with the bacteria being able to survive for months on surfaces. The older the mattress, the higher the risk and E. Coli can cause diarrhoea, food poisoning, and even illnesses such as pneumonia. "If you work in an office, your skin collects huge amounts of bacteria and airborne pollutants, that stay on your skin until washed off," the expert continues. "So, if you shower in the morning, you are likely transferring this grime onto your bed while you sleep." Turns out the best time to shower is in the evening before bed. (Getty Images) (Getty Images) Showering at night improves sleep quality As if sleeping with 10 million dust mites wasnt enough of a reason to switch up your shower habits, showering at night is also proven to improve sleep quality. "The change in temperature from a hot shower to a cool room can lower your bodys temperature - and since your body temperature naturally drops when you fall asleep, this aid in temperature change allows your body to receive signals that its ready for sleep much quicker," the expert explains. To aid sleep even more, consider using a lavender-scented shower gel to get in the mood to sleep. Lavender has soothing chemical components, which can reduce agitation and restlessness, helping you to sleep. Showering at night is better for your skin According to dermatologist Dr Simon Zokai, its also far better for your skin to shower before you go to bed. Having consulted Dr Zokai, a team from FOREO concluded that an evening shower has advantages for skin health, as it helps remove the build-up of dirt, germs and pollution that accumulates on our skin during the day. If you wait until the next morning to wash, the contaminants will remain on your body while you sleep, giving them more time to seep into the pores. And this can potentially have some pretty nasty consequences for our skin including blotches, imperfections, marks and long-term skin damage. Showering at night is better for our skin. (Getty Images) (Getty) Other shower mistakes we're making Turns out it isn't just when we shower we're getting wrong, but what we do when we're drying ourselves off. Whether you shower morning or night, towel placement is important, too. It can be tempting to leave your towel on your bed post-shower, or sit on the bed in your wet towel, however, such a habit can cause dust mites and other bacteria to thrive in this environment. "One bacteria that can especially thrive is Staphylococcus aureus," the MattressNextDay expert warns. "Whilst particularly prominent on pillowcases, it can be found anywhere on your bed. Over a third of the worlds population carries this bacteria, but if caught in your bloodstream it can be life-threatening - which is why its important to minimise any habits which cause the spread." To avoid any towel contamination it is important to ensure you hang your towel in the bathroom and wash each towel every three or four uses. Doing so can help eliminate bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells, and allergens. Dr Hamdan Abdullah Hamed, board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Power Your Curls, previously told Yahoo Life UK: Towels tend to accumulate moisture, creating an environment conducive to bacterial and fungal growth. Bacteria like staphylococcus aureus can lead to skin infections, while fungi like Candida yeast can cause issues like athletes foot or yeast infections. Additionally, dirty towels may contain allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or skin irritations in sensitive individuals. The inquest into the death of Clapham chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi is set to resume. Officers launched a hunt for Ezedi, 35, after a woman and two girls were attacked in south London on January 31. The inquest at Poplar Coroners Court, east London, was opened and adjourned on February 27. Members of the Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit searched for the body (Lucy North/PA) Ezedis body was recovered from the River Thames in February after a huge manhunt saw detectives track his final movements along the river on CCTV. It came after his former girlfriend, a mother-of-two, was doused with a corrosive chemical in a harrowing attack on her and her children, aged eight and three. Police believe Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, threw a burning chemical over the woman, some of which also injured one of the children, and slammed the three-year-olds head on the ground in the attack. He fled the scene and used his bank card to travel on the Tube before walking a route that broadly followed the banks of the River Thames in the following hours. A body was recovered by the Metropolitan Polices Marine Policing Unit, with support from London Fire Brigade. FILE - Randa Baker, right, who was displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, prepares the Iftar meal with her mother on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan at a makeshift tent camp in the Muwasi area, southern Gaza, March 11, 2024. The Israeli military ordered Monday, July 22, the evacuation of part of the area of the Gaza Strip, which they had designated a humanitarian zone. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) The Israeli military on Monday ordered the evacuation of part of an area in the Gaza Strip it has designated a humanitarian zone. The military said it is planning to begin an operation against Hamas militants who have embedded themselves in the area and used it to launch rockets toward Israel. The area includes the eastern part of the Muwasi humanitarian zone, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip. On Monday morning, thousands of Palestinians carrying backpacks and children walked down dusty roads under the scorching summer sun, navigating dilapidated cars filled with belongings tied on top. Many Palestinians have been uprooted multiple times in search of safety during Israelis punishing air and ground campaign. We do not know where we are walking, said Kholoud Al Dadas, as she clutched her children. This is our seventh or eighth time we have been displaced. While we were sleeping in our homes, they started shooting at us, bombing from everywhere. Moments later, as she continued on her way, Al Dadas collapsed in exhaustion and people rushed to her aid. Earlier this month, Israel said it estimates at least 1.8 million Palestinians are now in the humanitarian zone it declared covering a stretch of about 14 kilometers (8.6 miles) along the Mediterranean. Much of that area is now blanketed with tent camps that lack sanitation and medical facilities and have limited access to aid, U.N. and humanitarian groups say. Families live in the midst of mountains of trash and streams contaminated by sewage. The announcement came during delicate negotiations seeking a cease-fire in Gaza, with U.S. and Israeli officials expressing hope that an agreement is closer than ever. A negotiating team will be sent to continue talks on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said. Egypt, Qatar and the United States are continuing to push Israel and Hamas toward a phased cease-fire deal that would stop the fighting and free the hostages. Netanyahu left Monday morning on a much-anticipated trip to the United States to meet with President Joe Biden, who announced Sunday that he will not seek another term, and address Congress. Netanyahu said that regardless of who becomes the next U.S. president, our enemies must know that Israel and the United States stand together tomorrow and always. He said he will thank Biden for more than 40 years of friendship, while also pushing him for more support on certain issues. The Israeli military said on Monday that it is continuing to operate in central and southern Gaza. One person was killed and three injured in a strike outside the Al Aqsa hospital in the central city of Deir-Al-Balah. Overnight, at least 15 people, including four women and six children, were killed in strikes in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to hospital officials and a body count by an Associated Press journalist. The Israeli military did not have immediate comment. The United Nations also accused Israel of targeting a U.N. humanitarian convoy in central Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, the main U.N. group supporting Palestinians in Gaza, said that on Sunday Israel shot at the convoy near an Israeli military checkpoint, and that five bullets pierced the clearly marked armored U.N. vehicle. Lazzarini said that the movement of the convoy had been coordinated with Israeli forces. No one was injured, but Lazzarini condemned the military for targeting humanitarian workers. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. The war in Gaza has killed more than 38,900 people, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The war began with an assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took about 250 hostages. About 120 remain held, about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities. The Israeli military announced the deaths on Monday of two additional Israeli hostages, saying they believe Yagev Buchshtab, 35, and Alex Dancyg, 76, who were kidnapped on Oct. 7, were no longer alive, based on intelligence. Netanyahu has vowed to wipe out Hamas military and governing capabilities and secure the return of the remaining hostages. Families of hostages and thousands of other Israelis have held weekly demonstrations to urge the prime minister to reach a cease-fire deal that would bring their loved ones home. The already precarious humanitarian conditions inside besieged Gaza have worsened with the discovery of the polio virus as water and sanitation services have deteriorated for the territorys 2.3 million people, most of them displaced. Traces of the virus were found in sewage samples in Gaza. The World Health Organization has said no one has been treated for symptoms caused by the disease. Israels military said soldiers would be vaccinated and it would work with organizations to bring in vaccines for Palestinians. Also Monday, Israeli police said a Canadian citizen was killed after threatening Israeli security forces with a knife near the Gaza border. The Israeli military said the man drove to the entrance of an Israeli town close to the border, left his vehicle and approached the security forces with a knife. The forces opened fire and killed the man. There were no other injuries. The attack took place at the entrance to the Israeli town of Netiv HaAsara, which is just 300 meters (yards) north of the Gaza border. On Oct. 7, Netiv HaAsara was attacked and 20 residents were killed after gunmen passed over the concrete border wall using paragliders, according to Israeli military officials. Israel has experienced a wave of stabbing attacks across the country during the nine-month war in Gaza. ___ Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. ___ Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Prime minister John Major was warned that Sir Winston Churchills private archive could be broken up unless he approved its purchase using millions of pounds of National Lottery money, according to newly released government files. The acquisition in 1995 of the wartime leaders papers from the Churchill family trust for 12.5 million was highly controversial in part because the beneficiaries included his grandson, also called Winston Churchill, who was a sitting Tory MP. There was concern also that the archive, covering more than 70 years from Sir Winstons early childhood to the end of the Second World War, included official papers which were already the property of the state. Boris Johnson, then a columnist on The Daily Telegraph, was among the critics of the use of lottery money to fund the purchase, describing it as a case of taking from the poor to give to the rich. The lord chancellor, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, expressed concern about the agreement (Michael Stephens/PA) However, papers released by the National Archives at Kew, west London, show officials feared that unless they agreed, the government could face prolonged litigation with only limited chances of success to prevent it being broken up. Under the terms of the agreement, following lengthy and at times acrimonious negotiations, the estimated one million documents would be preserved at the archive centre at Churchill College, Cambridge. The lotterys national heritage memorial fund would pay 11.5 million with the remainder coming from the J Paul Getty Trust. However, the lord chancellor, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, was unhappy about the implications of the agreement. I have to say that I am greatly concerned at the prospect of the government apparently making a gift of public records to a private owner who would then transfer these records to the archive centre along with material for which a considerable sum of money had been given from public funds, he warned. I would expect that the prime minister would wish to give careful consideration to the difficult presentational issues raised by this matter. In reply, the cabinet secretary Sir Robin Butler explained that, in part, they were paying to avoid the risk of future litigation. He warned that unless they proceeded as planned, the whole agreement could collapse. The 12.5 million referred to represents not only the purchase price for the purely private material but also an element of buying out the risk of litigation in which counsel assessed our chances of success as, at best, 50/50, he wrote. We are advised that we should proceed with the transfer as planned on April 26 and that delay could result in the collapse of the whole arrangement. This could lead to a break-up of the archive which is what we have been trying very hard to prevent. Two Just Stop Oil protesters have appeared in court accused of damaging two jets that were sprayed with orange paint at Stansted Airport. The pair are said to have used angle grinders to break through an airport fence at around 5am on June 20, before using fire extinguishers filled with paint. Prosecutors allege that the cost of cleaning up the paint was 52,000, though an earlier hearing was told that the full cost including the damage to the fence and the amount needed to fund extra security was not yet known. Jennifer Kowalski, 28, of Dumbarton in Scotland, and Cole Macdonald, 22, of Brighton, appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday. The defendants, who are on conditional bail, were not asked to enter pleas to charges and the case was adjourned until August 15. They indicated at an earlier hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates Court pleas of not guilty to causing criminal damage and interfering with national infrastructure. Kowalski and Macdonald are also both charged with aggravated trespass, though they have not been asked to indicate their pleas to this. Judge Christopher Morgan, addressing Kowalski and Macdonald on Monday, said: Please return to this court on August 15 I anticipate that you will. If you enter on that occasion acceptable guilty pleas then your credit is preserved. They were both bailed until the next court hearing. A 24-year-old man talked online about making firearms with 3D printers and buying materials for them from Tesco, a court has heard. Gabriel Budasz, born in Poland, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of posting bomb-making tutorials online and encouraging terrorism. Prosecutor Maryam Syed KC said Budasz was found by police as someone who used a number of social media sites under different usernames to post extreme right-wing material, such as on Telegram, Omegle and Odysee, and expressed extreme racist views against black and Jewish people and encouraged others to direct action against them. Opening the case, Miss Syed said: This defendant has a particular MO modus operandi of posting videos in which he advocated we say, violence, and extreme Nazi and right-wing views, extreme views, which we say demonstrate a clear and continued pattern of encouraging terrorism, whilst being in possession of information which would facilitate the same. One video shared on a Telegram channel was sent as an attachment to a message saying he thought it would be very educational for everyone here so they do not accidentally make a bomb. Let me be absolutely clear, we say thats been typed on purpose, we say its not a joke, Miss Syed said. Its a bomb-making tutorial, and thats what he has chosen to share. Police officers discovered the explosive-making video on his internal computer storage when Budasz was arrested at his supporting living accommodation in Weston-super-Mare on August 1 last year. He asked, while handcuffed, to turn off his computer with his leg, which was refused. The prosecution added it appeared he had been using his computer moments before the police entered his home that morning, and he refused to give officers passwords for his devices. Miss Syed added: It was clear that the defendant had been talking online on Discord (another instant messaging and social app) about making firearms with 3D printers and obtaining parts for this purpose, including from going to Tesco. This chat has been retrieved by police and they could see Telegram and Discord channels were open on the device and these were accessed by police. The court heard Budasz previously pleaded guilty to five terror offences of possessing information at the Old Bailey in London on December 22 2023. He denies counts of dissemination of terrorist publications and encouraging terrorism, and sending electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety. The trial continues. A man accused of a role in a plot to kidnap a coroner has told a court he was a man of honour and I deal with state child trafficking. Matthew Martin, 47, asked that copies of a book that he brought to Chelmsford Crown Court which said JUDICIAL-NOTICE JSO29587168GB on its front cover be handed out to jurors. The book said it was Your own court of record for every country and every jurisdiction. Further text on the cover, which had artwork of a fingerprint on it, said: The facts that destroy all parliamentary systems, governments & their acts. Volume 1 of 4. It said it was written by :Janine :Linehan. and directive by :Mark-kishon :Christopher. with Mark Christopher being one of the other defendants who is on trial. Matthew Martin outside Chelmsford Crown Court where he is on trial alongside Sean Harper, Shiza Harper and Mark Christopher, charged with conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment (Joe Giddens/ PA) Martin, of Plaistow, east London, became emotional at times while addressing jurors from the witness box. He said: What I do for a living, what I do every day when I wake up, I deal with state child trafficking. He added that it was nothing to do with terrorism or cult, its strictly facts. Martin, Mark Christopher, 58, of Forest Gate, east London; Shiza Harper, 45, of South Benfleet, Essex; and Sean Harper, 38, also of South Benfleet, Essex, are all on trial and all deny conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment. The court was previously told the group of four defendants had gone to the coroners court in Chelmsford on April 20 2023 in search of Essex senior coroner Lincoln Brookes. Mr Brookes was not at the court at the time. Martin told jurors on Monday he had never ever met Lincoln Brookes, adding: I dont know who Lincoln Brookes is. I went there to do my duties because the judge (Christopher) said theyre not allowed to hold her majestys shield, said Martin. Sean Harper and his wife Shiza Harper outside Chelmsford Crown Court, where they are on trial alongside Mark Christopher and Matthew Martin, charged with conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment (Joe Giddens/ PA) His co-defendant Harper said, in a transcript of his police interview that was previously read to jurors, that he was a student of Mark Christopher, who he described as a very knowledgeable man. Harper said he was part of a group carrying out a warrant to condemn these unlawful buildings that are causing harm to the people. He said Christopher was the chief federal postal court judge of the federal postal court. The judge who is presiding over the case at Chelmsford Crown Court, Mr Justice Goss, offered Christopher the opportunity to give evidence before Martin chose to enter the witness box. Christopher kept his eyes closed and his head bowed, as he sat in the secure dock of the court, and did not move when the judge offered him the opportunity to give evidence in his defence. The judge then offered Martin the opportunity to give evidence and he responded that he would like to and went to the witness box. Christopher also denies sending threatening letters to Mr Brookes with intent to cause distress or anxiety. Martin denies assault by beating of security guard Eammon McCormack on April 20 2023, and the criminal damage of his spectacles. The trial continues. A man has been jailed for life after attempting to murder his work colleague by stabbing her with a screwdriver while on day release from prison. Nicholas Fryers, 57, inflicted more than 70 stab wounds on the victim, including in her head, chest and back, during the assault in Dartford on April 9 last year, Kent Police said. He was a serving prisoner at HMP Standford Hill but had been working at the Sainsburys distribution centre in Dartford when the attack took place, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Fryers was working at the centre in Littlebrook Manor Way as part of a day release, having been convicted of murder in Wales in 1993, Kent Police said. A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard Fryers had been working there for about two months and had become obsessed with the victim, including buying her gifts. Fryers and the victim, who helped to train new employees at the centre, had become friends but he wanted to be what he described as her boyfriend on the side, the CPS said. A woman who suffered more than 70 stab wounds during a violent assault in #Dartford has seen her attacker jailed. All the details can be read here: https://t.co/34kgoBekAQ pic.twitter.com/d3ZQu8AcA2 Kent Police (UK) (@kent_police) July 22, 2024 The victim told Fryers they were only friends, and ended their friendship after an argument on the evening of the incident. Having asked her to get some items from his car as he planned to finish work early, Fryers attacked her by pulling her to the ground and stabbing her multiple times with a screwdriver, the CPS said. Two male co-workers at the centre went to the car park where the attack took place and tried to intervene, before Fryers got into his vehicle and fled the scene, Kent Police said. One of the men managed to remove Fryers car registration plate and officers used this to trace the vehicle, as it travelled towards Preston in Lancashire, where Fryers was arrested in the early hours of April 10, the force said. Fryers, who denied the attack, was found guilty by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court on November 17 last year. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 17 years and four months before being eligible for parole, at the same court on Monday, Kent Police said. Manjit Bath, senior crown prosecutor from CPS South East, said: This was a terrifying attack that Fryers had planned, luring his victim to the car park before repeatedly stabbing her. She was exceptionally lucky to escape without serious injury and none of us can imagine the trauma she has been through as a result. There was no dispute in this case that Fryers had attacked his victim, but he claimed he did not intend to seriously injure or kill her, despite the fact that his attack lasted for almost two and a half minutes. Thanks to expert evidence that Fryers had used a severe level of force in his attack, we were able to prove that he had attempted to murder his victim. This was backed up by evidence from two witnesses, who tried to intervene and described the attack as sustained, brutal and frenzied. Detective Inspector Ross Gurden of Kent Police said: This was a terrifying incident in which Fryers launched a vicious attack on a young woman who was alone with him in a car park. He completely lost control and attempted to inflict as much injury to the victim as he could. It is with only sheer luck that the victim did not lose her life on the night of this incident. He denied the offences and put her through the ordeal of a trial, forcing her to relive the horrendous details. GPs have warned that disruption could continue through the week. (Getty Images) (Anthony Devlin, PA Images) GPs have warned that normal service at surgeries "cannot be resumed immediately" as the global Crowdstrike IT outage continues to have a knock-on effect. The crash on Friday saw computer systems taken offline at a range of institutions, with flights cancelled at airports, delays for people collecting urgent prescriptions from pharmacies, and shops unable to take card payments. While cybersecurity company Crowdstrike says it had identified the problem that affected 8.5 million Windows devices, Dr David Wrigley of the British Medical Association (BMA) has said doctors are still facing a "considerable backlog". In a statement on Sunday, he said: Friday was one the toughest single days in recent times for GPs across England. Without a clinical IT system many were forced to return to pen and paper to be able to serve their patients. While GPs and their teams worked hard to look after as many as they could, without access to the information they needed much of the work has had to be shifted into the coming week." Here, Yahoo News takes a look at all of the services likely to face delays and disruption in the coming week. GPs GPs have been pulling out all the stops this weekend to deal with the effects of Friday's catastrophic loss of service," said Dr Wrigley. He warned that the temporary loss of Egton Medical Information Systems (EMIS) patient record systems has meant surgeries are still facing a "considerable backlog". "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," Dr Wrigley said, adding that NHS England should "make it clear to patients that normal service cannot be resumed immediately". He added: The BMAs GP committee will continue our dialogue with both EMIS and NHSE, both to make sure that the coming week can be used to recover as quickly as possible and to urgently work on securing a better system of IT backup so that this disaster is not repeated in future. An NHS England spokesperson said on Saturday afternoon that while systems were "coming back online in most areas, they were "still running slightly slower than usual". As practices recover from the loss of IT systems on Friday, there may be some continued disruption, particularly to GP services, in some areas into next week as practices work to rebook appointments," they added. Airports Airports across the UK, including London Gatwick, Heathrow Airport, Manchester Airport and Belfast International Airport, said passengers should check with airlines for any delays or cancellations before travelling over the weekend. Transport secretary Louise Haigh said on Saturday the IT systems of UK airports and train operators are back up and working as normal, but some delays and a small number of cancelled flights were expected. While airlines are largely back up and running now, travel journalist Simon Calder, writing on X around 3pm, said easyJet cancellations to and from Gatwick has "just doucled from 24 to 48", while Aer Lingus had cancelld two Heathrow-Dublin round trips. Passengers sitting and waiting at Gatwick Airport on Friday. (Alamy) (Ben Bauer, PA Images) In a report he wrote for the Independent, he said Tui has resorted to cancelling entire package holidays in order to manage the scale of the problem. One passenger who had been waiting to fly from Manchester Airport to Lanzarote at 6am on Sunday was told at noon that her entire holiday had been cancelled. Citing analytics firm Cirium, Calder said that as of 10.30am Sunday, a further 88 flights had been cancelled, bringing the total for the weekend to over 600 in the UK, compared to nearly 12,000 worldwide. While many services are back up and running, this suggests passengers haven't quite seen the end of the disruption just yet. Pharmacies On Saturday Nick Kaye, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said on Saturday that systems were "by and large back online" and that "medicine deliveries have resumed". However, he said the outage "will have caused backlogs" and expected services to "continue to be disrupted this weekend as pharmacies recover". Yahoo News has asked the National Pharmacy Association if it expects disruption to continue over the coming days. Pharmacies are still currently facing a backlog. (PA) (Andy Buchanan, PA Images) Payroll Workers who are paid weekly may be impacted by the Crowdstrike outage. Melanie Pizzey, chief executive officer and founder of the Global Payroll Association, 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. At best, it will require those managing payroll to work overtime to rectify the issue." Some banking services were also affected, but now appear to be largely back to normal. Other payments services, banks and financial institutions sought to reassure customers that their systems were running without disruption. Link, which runs the UKs network of ATM cash machines, said its network is working normally but enhanced monitoring is in place as a precaution. Read more England has nearly 1,500 fewer care homes than in 2018, the Liberal Democrats claimed as they tabled a Kings Speech amendment calling for free personal care across the country. Some 306 constituencies out of 534 have seen a fall in the number of beds compared with six years ago, according to House of Commons Library research commissioned by Sir Ed Daveys party. Sir Ed, who cares for his disabled son, promised the Lib Dems would be the voice of carers in this Parliament as he urged the Labour Government to add new measures to its legislative agenda to tackle the broken system. The Lib Dem amendment calls for free personal care in England, better support for carers, and a cross-party commission on social care to help provide long-term reforms to the sector. Some three-quarters (73%) of all constituencies in England have seen a fall in the number of care homes since 2018, according to the Lib Dem-commissioned analysis. In Hornsey and Wood Green, north London, around 55% of beds have been lost, in Wythenshawe and Sale East, Greater Manchester, 37% have been lost, and Bristol South has lost 36% over the same period. The number of care homes across England has fallen from 16,020 six years ago to 14,565 in 2024. Sir Ed said: I know from speaking with people across the country in recent weeks, and from my own personal experience, just how broken our social care system is. People cannot find care homes nearby for their loved ones and when they do many cannot afford the spiralling cost of care. This stark postcode lottery reveals once again just how badly the Conservative Party damaged social care. Their neglect of local health and care services has driven our NHS into the ground and left families struggling to find care for their loved ones. I am proud the Liberal Democrats have tabled this amendment to the Kings Speech to stand up for care and carers. We will be the voice of carers in this Parliament and work with others to find solutions to the big challenge of social care. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: This government is determined to grip the crisis in social care as we know that people are suffering without the care they need. We want everyone to live an independent, dignified life. That is why we are committed to reforming the sector and taking steps to create a National Care Service, improving consistency of care across the country. A 26-year-old pilot who dreamed of flying for commercial airlines was killed in a crash near Niagara Falls over the weekend just 30 minutes after the skydivers she was carrying had jumped from the aircraft and she was headed back. Melanie Georger was alone in the single-engine Cessna she was piloting when she went down in a nearby highway, the Niagara County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating to determine the cause of the crash. Georger, of Towanda, New York, was "on the cusp" of becoming a commercial airline pilot, her father said in a statement on Facebook after the crash Saturday. "Friends and family, my life as I know it ended today. My beloved daughter, my best friend and one of the two lights of my life passed away suddenly today," wrote Paul Georger. "Melanie was a pilot, on the cusp of realizing her dream to fly for the airlines." She was "doing what she loved, flying for a local skydiving company when her plane crashed," he added. One of the skydivers called escaping death while Georger did not "surreal." "Why didn't it happen when I was up there? Why didn't it happen when we were all on the plane?" first-time jumper Jeffrey Walker wondered in an interview with the Associated Press. PILOT DIES AFTER SKYDIVERS JUMP Melanie Georger, a 26-year-old pilot from New York, died in a plane crash shortly after releasing a group of skydivers. Witnesses and audio recordings revealed she remained composed, with her final radio message containing heartfelt words. pic.twitter.com/z5rrRdUU0x Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 22, 2024 He told CBS affiliate WIVB: "For some reason, God left me on Earth and I'm just blessed to still be around. It's just an eerie feeling that I was on that plane literally a half-hour before it crashed." He said Georger encouraged him before his jump, giving him confidence. "I give her props for wanting to do what she was doing," he said. Her father wrote: "My life is much darker today and will remain so for a long time. To my tweety pie, my girlie, my beloved and my heart, I'm already looking forward to the day that we reunite and I will have a huge hole in my heart and a never-ending ache until then." The Jenin refugee camp in 2002, where intense street to street fighting raged for eight days during Israels Operation Defensive Shield. Photograph: David Silverman/EPA Tony Blairs government accused Israeli forces of acting more like the Russian army than that of a civilised country during a major military incursion into the occupied West Bank, newly released official files show. The tensions, which have eerie parallels to western concerns over current Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, are laid bare in papers released by the National Archives. The documents show the exasperation of western allies at the mounting Palestinian death toll as the Israel Defense Forces laid siege to the headquarters of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, in 2002. Ariel Sharon, Israels prime minister at the time, launched Operation Defensive Shield at the end of March 2002, calling up 20,000 reservists, after a wave of suicide attacks killed scores of Israelis. IDF tanks surrounded Arafats compound in Ramallah, cutting off phone lines and power supplies, while intense street to street fighting raged for eight days in the sprawling Jenin refugee camp. At a tense meeting with Sharons foreign policy adviser, Danny Ayalon, the British ambassador, Sherard Cowper-Coles, warned the offensive was a major strategic mistake that was undermining support for Israel among its allies. If some of the reports we were receiving were credible, the IDFs behaviour was more worthy of the Russian army than that of a supposedly civilised country, Cowper-Coles told the adviser, according to his report of the meeting. I was not suggesting that such behaviour was a matter of policy. But there was no doubt that individual soldiers were out of control and committing acts which were outraging international opinion. As an example, he cited the case of Israeli troops broadcasting a pornographic video on Palestinian television, knowing it would be deeply offensive to devout Muslims. Ayalon had no real answer to any of this, pleading only ignorance and Arab lies, Cowper-Coles wrote. George Bush, who was engaged in his own war on terror after the 11 September attacks the previous year, was equally frustrated by the Israeli actions, letting off steam in a private call with Blair. While Arafat had effectively been marginalising himself, Sharon had succeeded in making a martyr of him building him up to the point where he was becoming the new Bin Laden, the president complained, according to a No 10 note of the call. The Israelis were trying to fight a 21st century war with 20th century techniques. Sending tanks into alleyways was simply a PR disaster. The US had tried to persuade Sharon privately, but he just would not listen. The bottom line was that Sharon was undermining the USs ability to pursue the war on terrorism. That was not the action of a good ally. A British officer who had observed IDF operations in the occupied territories before Operation Defensive Shield said that, despite its reputation as a competent and effective force, the reality was very different. A second-rate, ill-disciplined, swaggering and bullying force, was his scathing verdict. They routinely use excessive force such as firing at the legs of stone throwers or at car tyres with the inevitable steady stream of ambulances ferrying youths to hospital with fatal bullet wounds to the head and body. Elsewhere in the tranches of papers released by the National Archives, it was revealed that Downing Street officials wanted to acquire a permanent prime ministerial battlebus to support Blair on his visits around the country. Campaign battlebuses, hired by the political parties on a temporary basis, had long been a feature of general elections but the files show that in February 2000, No 10 officials suggested it could become a permanent arrangement. Brittany Higgins moved to France after she was subjected to severe media scrutiny and online bullying. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP Brittany Higgins says she has been forced to sell her new home in France to defend a defamation action brought by Liberal senator Linda Reynolds which has already cost her more than $1m in legal fees. The former defence minister is suing Higgins in the Western Australian supreme court for damages over a series of social media posts she says damaged her reputation. Despite an apology from Higgins earlier this year, mediation has failed and Reynolds, Higgins former boss, is taking the case to trial. Earlier this year Higgins former colleague Bruce Lehrmann lost a defamation case he brought against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, with Justice Michael Lee finding that, on the balance of probabilities, Lehrmann had raped Higgins on the ministers couch in Parliament House in 2019. Related: Linda Reynolds wins access to Brittany Higgins $2.4m trust documents This will be Brittanys third court case and one of numerous legal processes surrounding her rape at Parliament House, a spokesperson for Higgins told Guardian Australia. The legal costs have already amounted to well over $1m and will continue to grow with the defamation action brought about by Senator Reynolds. Reynolds says she wants to defend her reputation from the allegation she had failed to support Ms Higgins after the alleged rape and had instead subjected her to a dreadful and damaging political cover-up. Higgins, who married her partner, David Sharaz, last month, and announced her pregnancy last week, moved to France to start a new life after she was subjected to severe media scrutiny and online bullying. Brittany relocated overseas to heal and escape the online attacks she received, particularly in the wake of the Channel 7 Spotlight program that elevated her rapist, the spokesperson said. Brittany is now forced to sell her home in order to defend herself again. The price of speaking out about sexual assault remains unspeakably high. In December 2022, Higgins signed a deed of settlement with the commonwealth of Australia, seeking compensation in light of the alleged rape. The settlement was originally confidential, but was made public as part of the defamation case. The documents show that Higgins received $2.445m, more than half of which was in respect of her loss of earning capacity, as well as legal costs, medical expenses, domestic assistance and $400,000 for hurt, distress and humiliation suffered by Ms Higgins. After Lees judgement was handed down Higgins said she was devastated a rapist was given a nationwide platform to maintain his lies about what happened and she hoped people who contributed to the Channel Seven program will reflect on their decision. In 2022 ACT prosecutors dropped charges against Lehrmann for the alleged rape of Higgins, saying a retrial would pose an unacceptable risk to her health. Lehrmann has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent, denying that any sexual activity had occurred. Canadian submarine HMCS Windsor berthed at Halifax. The Victoria class subs, formerly the British Upholder class, are known to be unreliable - Paul Darrow/Reuters The Canadian government has announced an ambitious and expensive plan to triple the size of the Royal Canadian Navys submarine fleet. Expect setbacks. Ottawa has struggled to maintain its existing undersea warfare capability, and does not spend much money on defence. Hugely expanding its submarine force could prove difficult. The announcement came during the recent Nato summit in Washington DC. Canada is taking the first step towards the procurement of up to 12 conventionally-powered, under-ice-capable submarines, the Canadian defense department stated. Shipbuilders in Germany, South Korea, Spain and Sweden are reportedly interested in submitting designs. That Canada needs submarines is obvious. The country has the longest coastline in the world and touches three oceans: the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific. Tensions are rising on all three oceans as China and Russia become more nakedly aggressive and more openly allied in their determination to shatter the liberal world order. Canadas Arctic coast is ice-bound, and surface ships are badly restricted in operating off it even in the summer. For much of the year, only a submarine capable of working beneath the ice cap can operate off Canadas north coast or travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without going all the way south to the Panama canal. Despite the clear need, the Canadian navy currently deploys totally inadequate submarines. On paper, the fleet operates four 230-foot Victoria-class diesel-electric submarines that Ottawa acquired secondhand from London in the early 2000s by which point they had already been rusting unused for a decade, having been rejected by the Royal Navy in the 1990s. The torpedo-armed Victorias three with the Pacific fleet, one on the Atlantic are unreliable and rarely go to sea. After spending billions of dollars, the Royal Canadian Navy can only keep one of the vessels at high readiness. By comparison, the US, Russian and Chinese navies all keep dozens of submarines at high readiness. With a dozen new subs, the Canadians might be able to keep four or five at high readiness assuming, of course, that the new vessels are reliable. The outcome will depend in part on which shipbuilder Ottawa taps for the program. The builder will almost certainly modify an existing design. Canadas new subs, the first of which will need to enter service in the 2030s in order to avoid a gap in force structure as the old Victorias finally reach the end of their (barely) useful lives, must operate under ice in order to be useful in the Arctic region. At the moment, the only submarines which operate routinely beneath the ice are nuclear-powered. Nuclear power means that a sub can stay at depth for months on end. Diesel-electric submarines, the standard type of conventionally powered boat, must frequently surface in order to run their diesels and recharge their batteries. Ice cover can make that difficult if not impossible. Newer air-independent propulsion, or AIP, subs have fuel cells or other technologies that allow them to stay underwater for longer periods than the batteries of a regular diesel-electric boat. They have limited submerged range, speed and endurance compared to a nuclear vessel, and they need refilling with exotic fuels after using their AIP technology, but AIP submarines should offer at least some ability to operate beneath the ice cap. The technology required to design an Arctic under-ice-capable AIP [submarines] exists today, a Canadian navy officer concluded in a 2018 study. But the integration of under-ice capability with an existing hull could be time-consuming and expensive. And thats before the Canadians try adding any systems the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia are developing for their new nuclear submarines under the auspices of the AUKUS alliance. Canada isnt a full member of AUKUS, but it is an observer in the partnership and could gain access to any new AUKUS technologies. The Canadian sub effort will also depend on stable funding: tens of billions of dollars worth over several decades. The subs will compete with other Canadian defence priorities. Ottawa is already spending billions to build 15 new destroyers to form the core of the navys future surface fleet, and Canada spends less than 1.5 per cent of GDP on defence well below the Nato minimum target of 2pc. It will be difficult for the RCN to become world class with this level of spending. The design and money challenges dont make the new subs any less important. They simply underscore the scale of the undertaking as Canada tries to right a naval wrong and finally build a meaningful undersea fleet. Officials described the Galloway area, which includes the village of Port Logan, as a 'special place' - Marco Pavan/www.4cornersimages.com A new national park has been earmarked for Galloway, SNP ministers have announced, despite widespread concern from farmers. Mairi Gougeon, the Rural Affairs Secretary, said the region in south-west Scotland had been chosen from a five-strong shortlist. A further investigation will now be carried out into Galloways suitability to become the countrys third national park, after the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. If successful, Galloway will become the first new national park in the UK in about 15 years. It will mean the area will be set aside for the conservation of the environment, with most of the landscapes and accompanying plants and animals protected in their natural state. The Galloway National Park Association (GNPA), which has campaigned for the designation, argued the status would bring transformational economic and environmental benefits to the region. However, farmers have expressed concerns that it will lead to extra red tape for their businesses, fearing it could damage growth and tourism. A report published by the Scottish Government noted that both NFU Scotland and the Milk Suppliers Association, which represents 131 dairy farmers in the area, did not support Galloway being nominated. The national park would cover 347,000 hectares of land in the Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire council areas, where between 25,000 and 68,000 people live. Final decision to come Ms Gougeon said the competition had been extremely tough, with rival bids from the Scottish Borders, Lochaber, Loch Awe and Tay Forest regions rejected. She said: After carefully considering all of the nominations we received, I am very pleased that we are proposing to create a new national park for Scotland in Galloway. The proposal is community-led, has the backing of many local businesses and makes a strong case on the benefits that national park status will bring for people who live in the area, for the local economy and for the environment. She said NatureScot, the Governments nature agency, would now hold a public consultation to gauge support and examine the specific boundaries of the park. Its investigation will be submitted by April next year to SNP ministers, who will decide whether the park gets the final go-ahead. Landscapes in the region, such as Sandyhills Beach, could be granted additional protections if national park status is approved - Nicola Patterson/iStockphoto However, John Locke, a livestock farmer in the area, told BBC Scotland that national park status could impact the way farms are allowed to develop locally. He said: We need to have profitable farming in Dumfries and Galloway. We already have quite a lot of conditions and restrictions and targets from existing legislation and other bodies. Special place The panel that assessed the five national park bids noted Galloways distinctiveness as a quieter region within Scotland in respect to visitor numbers. Distinctive coastal features, habitats and landscapes represent a key aspect of this nomination, a set of characteristics not currently represented in Scotlands two existing national parks, its report said. The panel also noted that part of the region already holds Unesco Biosphere status - an area deemed to be a world-class environment for nature - and argued that designating it a national park could help deal with issues such as coastal erosion. The nomination bid also claimed the status would help with job creation, nature-friendly farming, tackling climate change and restoring peatland. Rob Lucas, the GNPAs chairman, said: This is fantastic news that the case for Galloway to be proposed as Scotlands third national park has been recognised. It would bring transformational economic and environmental benefits to the area and strengthen our local communities. John Cooper, the new Tory MP for Dumfries and Galloway, praised the team for winning the bid but said the voice of local people had to be heard in the consultation, including farmers. Prof Colin Galbraith, NatureScots chairman, said: In preparing our advice, we will consult widely with everyone who has an interest in this special place. We will make a particular effort to meet and listen to people who live and work in the area, as it is these voices which will be crucial if Scotland is to establish its third national park that can deliver a successful partnership for people and nature. Disadvantages greatly outweigh benefits By Jamie Blackett As a farmer who has diversified into tourism, you might expect me to be in favour of turning Galloway into a national park. We have 34 beds to fill each week and national park status might help our marketing. But, having researched the pros and cons with my counterparts in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs and Cairngorms National Parks, and elsewhere in the UK, I can see that the disadvantages greatly outweigh the benefits for local businesses. The proponents of the national park trumpet the transformational economic and environmental benefits that will strengthen local communities. But the reality is that the imposition of what is, in effect, an extra layer of government has had the opposite effect wherever it has been tried, because the resulting bureaucratic drag deters entrepreneurship and blocks the economic development that the rural economy needs in order to thrive. I saw this for myself when I applied for planning permission for four new houses on the edge of a village. There is an urgent need for affordable homes for young people. The influx of retirees and second home owners has made it much harder for young people to stay in the area where they grew up. The Nith Estuary is one of many beauty spots in the area - Rod McLean/Alamy Stock Photo The remedy is more housing, something that can be achieved easily without detriment to the landscape if landowners are careful to pick sites sensitively. Yet because we had been placed in a National Scenic Area (NSA) - a kind of national park-lite - the planners turned down our application, citing the NSA as the reason. Upgrading us to national park status and devolving the planning function to a national park authority will only make things worse. In the meantime, our local village primary school, which had 70 children a generation ago, has just been closed because it only had 10 children. Preserving Galloway in aspic will make things worse. Democratic deficit The Galloway countryside already has many success stories: some of the most productive dairy farms in the world along the coast, beef and sheep farming in the uplands, forestry, field sports, tourism and many people who work in creative industries or remotely in the knowledge economy. These activities will continue despite national park status, not because of it. If anything, they will be hampered. There will be a political conceit that our beautiful landscape is somehow enhanced or protected by civil servants in an office but this will be a lie. Likewise, everyone in Scotland already has a right to roam and to wild camp - national park status wont confer any additional access. The reality is that money that could be spent on keeping village schools open or filling potholes will be spent on inflated salaries for park officials instead. And the democratic deficit we already have in Galloway will be worsened: if we dont like what councillors on the Dumfries and Galloway Council do, we can vote them out; if we dont like regulations the unelected bureaucrats impose on us we will be powerless. Jamie Blackett is a farmer and businessman in Galloway A sharpnose sevengill shark, closely related to the Brazilian sharpnose - Kelvin Aitken/Alamy Cocaine has been found in sharks off the coast of Brazil and may be changing their behaviour, scientists fear. Marine biologists tested 13 sharks of the Brazilian sharpnose type taken from coastal waters near Rio de Janeiro and found they all had high levels of cocaine in their muscles and livers. In a paper for the journal Science of the Total Environment, they said the drug probably originated in drainage from illicit labs where cocaine is manufactured, or from the excrement of drug users, via untreated sewage. It might even have come from the sharks feeding on bales of cocaine that were lost or dumped overboard by drug smugglers but that was less likely, the team said. The head of a Brazilian sharpnose shark - Levi Sa/Inaturalist The results showed chronic exposure due to human use of cocaine in Rio de Janeiro and the discharge of human urine and faeces by sewage outfalls, as well as from illegal labs, said Dr Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, a British scientist and member of the research team from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro. We dont get much coke at sea We dont usually see many bales of coke dumped or lost at sea here, unlike in Mexico and Florida, she told The Telegraph, meaning it was unlikely the sharks had been eating discarded packages. The cocaine was probably harmful to the health of the animals, she said. It was not known if it affected their behaviour, rendering them more aggressive and unpredictable or making feeding frenzies more likely. This may be the case, as cocaine targets the brain, and hyperactive and erratic behaviour has been noted in other animals. Its a possibility and further studies are required, said Dr Enrico Mendes Saggioro, an ecotoxicologist from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. The researchers acquired the small sharks from fishing boats that ply the coastal waters off Rio de Janeiro. After dissecting them and subjecting them to tests, they found concentrations of cocaine up to 100 times higher than previously detected in other marine animals. The scientists described their findings as worrying for the marine ecosystem. Damaging to eyesight One way cocaine may damage sharks health is by affecting their eyesight, affecting their capacity to hunt. You might start to see lower fecundity and growth rates, Dr Tracy Fanara, an expert in ecotoxicology and environmental engineering from the University of Florida, told The Telegraph. She agreed that there was no evidence, as yet, to suggest that cocaine encouraged crazed behaviour or feeding frenzies in sharks. They may not be going nuts from the cocaine but it could reduce their life expectancy, said Dr Fanara. She took part in the Discovery Channel film Cocaine Sharks, which explored whether sharks in the Gulf of Mexico were feeding on cocaine packages dumped by traffickers. Dr Fanara added: This is representative of problems all over the world, whether it involves cocaine or fertiliser or herbicides. We are releasing these chemicals into the environment and the question is, how are we affecting the ecosystem? A departures board at Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday. The IT outage caused thousands of flights to be cancelled. Photograph: Megan Varner/Getty Images A significant number of the 8.5m devices affected by last weeks global IT outage are back online, according to the cybersecurity company at the centre of the incident. CrowdStrike said it was also testing a technique to reboot systems more rapidly, amid warnings from experts that a full recovery from Fridays IT failure could take weeks. On Friday, thousands of flights were cancelled, broadcasters were forced off air, healthcare appointments disrupted and millions of PCs failed to start after a CrowdStrike software update inadvertently crippled devices using the Microsoft Windows operating system. Related: What is CrowdStrike, and how did it cause a global Windows outage? CrowdStrike wrote in a social media update that it had made progress in fixing the consequences of a glitch that, according to one expert, had caused the largest IT outage in history. Of the approximately 8.5 million Windows devices that were impacted, a significant number are back online and operational, the US company said. CrowdStrike continues to focus on restoring all systems as soon as possible. Of the approximately 8.5 million Windows devices that were impacted, a significant number are back online and operational. Together with customers, we tested a new technique to accelerate impacted CrowdStrike (@CrowdStrike) July 21, 2024 CrowdStrike added that it was testing a new method to accelerate impacted system remediation and working to get companies and organisations a means of accessing that technique. On Sunday, Australias home affairs minister said CrowdStrike was close to rolling out an automatic fix to the issue with their update, as is Microsoft. On Friday, experts had warned that repairs to affected PCs would have to be carried out manually, potentially prolonging the recovery. In the US, more than 1,500 flights were cancelled for the third successive day on Sunday, with the Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines in particular struggling, while in the UK 45 flights were cancelled on Saturday. Deltas chief executive, Ed Bastian, said the problem had affected a critical application in its IT system. In particular, one of our crew tracking-related tools was affected and unable to effectively process the unprecedented number of changes triggered by the system shutdown, he told customers. Europes largest airline, Ryanair, said it had cancelled 400 flights this weekend, mainly due to fallout from the IT outage. In the UK, NHS England warned of delays as healthcare services recovered from the outage. It said patients with appointments this week should continue to attend unless told not to. The British Medical Association said on Sunday that normal GP service could not be resumed immediately after the IT problems caused a considerable backlog. An NHS spokesperson said: Systems are now back online Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff throughout this incident we are hoping to keep further disruption to a minimum, however there still may be some delays as services recover, particularly with GPs needing to rebook appointments, so please bear with us. Pharmacy services were expected to be slower than usual in the UK on Monday as the recovery continued. Nick Kaye, the chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said: As pharmacists recover from last weeks IT outage and catch up on the backlog of prescriptions, we expect service in some community pharmacies to be slower than usual today. Kaye asked customers to be patient with their local pharmacy teams. Hillary Clinton speaks to the audience at the 2016 Democratic convention in Philadelphia. Photograph: Mike Coppola/WireImage Its been more than 50 years since delegates to a Democratic national convention havent known their nominee as they walked through the door. Now, in the wake of Joe Bidens decision on Sunday not to seek re-election, theres a mad dash. Delegates are due to convene in Chicago on 19 August, and while the Democratic party seems to be coalescing around Kamala Harris, theres no guarantee that she will be the nominee, and others could still throw their name into contention. But just a few hours after Bidens announcement, Google documents were circulating asking delegates to pledge their support for Harris. Jonathan Padilla, a delegate from California, said he could stand for things to be a hair less mad. I dont want to be rushed into something, Padilla said. I do want to have deliberation. Theres a lot of frustration in the party, and I think having a process to talk to people from the campaign and to the candidate or people around her is necessary to help us be unified in November. Delegates are, by and large, local volunteers expected to spend thousands of dollars to fly to Chicago and attend the convention. Its often viewed as a reward for activism and dedication, but its typically a far less consequential role than it might be next month. Related: Who will replace Biden as Democratic nominee? Here are some of the top candidates One delegate who isnt yet old enough to drink expressed his mounting anxiety about how things are unfolding and how little has been predictable. Im a young, young person, said the delegate, who requested anonymity because he feared being replaced by his state chair. This is my first convention And this is scary. Its super anxiety-inducing, and crazy, and so much. He said he was disappointed with the party for communicating poorly. But at the same time, I dont really feel like I have time to be disappointed. I feel like I just need to go knock on some doors. In a normal election year, each state sends a number of delegates to the convention who have been pledged to a candidate. Those delegates are expected to vote for that candidate , on pain of being replaced by a state chair if their vote is wayward. With a majority going to one candidate, as has happened every election year since the 60s, thats the end of it. A candidate is chosen. That bureaucratic, uncontroversial process has become an open question this year. In a call on Friday, before Biden dropped out, Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a member of the partys rules committee, likened the process of selecting a new presidential nominee to a mini-primary, with delegates as the voting audience. If Biden were to drop out, the process would be scrunched into three weeks or something. Itd be incredibly tight. The question at the convention would then become whether a consensus had formed on a new nominee. But thats not exactly whats happening right now. Instead, members of the California Democratic party have begun circulating a Google document asking delegates to pledge their support for Harris publicly and immediately. According to the list, shared with the Guardian by a delegate, 83 people had already signed on as of 9pm on Sunday. A second Google document is circulating to delegates with a form for pledging their support for Harris on a petition. Before the start of the convention, the Democratic National Committee is also planning to hold a virtual roll call , where a nominee would be chosen for legal purposes. Ohio presents a problem. State law ostensibly requires parties to select their nominees by 9 August to appear on the ballot. Ohio lawmakers changed the law this year, but Democrats worry that the change wont take effect in time. Padilla said he expected Harris to be the nominee, but some delegates are unhappy with the pressure for an early decision. Vice-President Harris has the next 72 to 96 hours to mitigate any serious challenge, he said. And pending that, I think the party moves forward with the existing plan of the virtual roll call, which would mitigate risk at the convention, but it does probably leave a lot of delegates who would want a more transparent, deliberative process probably not happy. Susan Herder, a Biden delegate from Minneapolis, said she thought Biden might be the best president of her lifetime, crediting him with turning the country around from Covid-19 and an economy in which the wealth gap had widened. After the debate and Bidens exit, shes ready to start campaigning for Harris. She said she intended to respect all voters and would listen to them to understand their points of view. I am looking forward to the future, she said in an email. I hope everyone who is inclined will help us elect Kamala Harris. Its a great way to defeat anxiety, fear and feelings of hopelessness. LETS GET HER ELECTED! While some delegates have only just come around to supporting someone other than Biden, others had been pushing for a change during the primaries, long before Bidens disastrous debate. I think we were feeling like our message has become even stronger in the past few hours, said Asma Mohammed, leader of Minnesotas uncommitted movement and a Democratic convention delegate. In the past few hours, there are people who have reached out and said, You know, youre right. We needed a better candidate. Mohammed has been calling for pushback against the Biden administrations support for the war in Gaza, demanding a plank in the party platform that calls for a ceasefire, an arms embargo and a president ready to support that position. She believes Harris is more sympathetic to her position than Biden was, despite having taking $5m in campaign donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), but wants time to put the question to her. We are delegates from our communities, and we are being asked to represent, Mohammed said. We cant do that if were only being given one option. A degree of dissent against the virtual roll call had percolated up from delegates days ago. Delegates Are Democracy and Welcome Party, two organizations formed in recent days to help inform confused delegates about their options, have been hosting webinars, airing concerns from delegates about a convoluted process. Chris Dempsey, head of Delegates Are Democracy, said he had been speaking with dozens of delegates who say the process is opaque and that party leaders have been gatekeeping information. He stressed that Delegates for Democracy had not been advocating for Biden to withdraw, but was instead trying to guide delegates, who are often volunteers without deep legal training, about the rules. We think that conventions are essential at putting forward strong nominees, Dempsey said. We can beat Donald Trump in November. But we know that we need credible sources of information to share with delegates. We want to be a place that delegates, the public, the media can come and get good information about how the process works. Kamarck noted in a call on Friday that delegates were already free to vote for whoever they wanted, more or less. The convention rules contain a loophole, she said. The loophole is in all good conscience. That was added after the very, very difficult and bitter 1980 convention. At that convention, Senator Ted Kennedy challenged President Jimmy Carter in primaries and then a floor fight. At the time, delegates could be removed by state leaders if they changed their vote. The conscience clause emerged after that, to prevent delegates from acting like robots, Kamarck said. On the Democratic side, there is no such thing as Joe Biden releasing his delegates, Kamarck said. And Joe Biden gets this. I dont know why the rest of the press doesnt get it. Joe Biden said in his Nato press conference: The delegates can do whatever the hell they want to do. And that is basically true. The delegate rules require their votes to reflect the sentiments of those who elected them. That phrase had never really been tested, Kamarck said. Until now. Bidens withdrawal has set off a hunt for delegates, Kamarck said. Again, in a normal process, that hunt would start on the floor of the convention, with potential candidates soliciting signatures on a petition to get on a nomination ballot, with no more than 50 from any one state and 300 delegates to make the ballot. I suspect that somebody from the [Democratic National Committee (DNC)] or the state parties would organize delegate meetings that would be open to the public because all DNC meetings are open to the public for the candidates to come and talk to the delegates, because theyd have to win over the delegates, she said. The nomination for vice-president would be based on a separate vote, she said on Friday. I imagine what would happen is that whoever emerged as the frontrunner and maybe thered be two or three of them would all name their vice-presidential candidates. But then wed have an open vote for vice-president. It could get quite confusing. But this assumes, all of this assumes, that theres a contest. And I for one am very skeptical that therell be much of a contest. The bunker is described as being secure, dry and in its original condition. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Its a property with no windows, no running water and no mod cons except for a phone line. But there is parking, the countryside is phenomenal and when Armageddon happens it could be perfect. This week will bring the rare sale of a 1958 nuclear bunker in the Cumbrian Dales near Sedbergh. Related: When you hear the four-minute warning Whatever happened to Britains nuclear bunkers? It was one of about 1,500 Royal Observer Corps monitoring posts built across the UK at the height of cold war fears of nuclear attack. The idea was that three volunteers could live down there for a fortnight, able to measure the fallout after the bombs dropped and broadcast messages to the public. After decommissioning, most of the bunkers were sold off and are today often sites for mobile phone masts. But on Thursday one will be auctioned online for anyone to buy. It is secure, dry and in its original condition and has a guide price of 15,000-20,000. Viewings took place over two hours on Monday afternoon and the Guardian went along to see what you get for your money but also to ask: what sort of person wants to buy a nuclear bunker? Im on the edge of a midlife crisis, joked Barney Strange, a paramedic who had come along with his wife, Harvie. The idea of owning a nuclear bunker is surely every 14-year-old boys dream isnt it? It is so secluded truly unique. I know this is a cliche, but there is something about buying a piece of history. Does the thought of sleeping underground in a small windowless room not fill him with dread? No, not at all. It fills me with a sense of security. Im not a caver but I love all things underground. Jim Demitriou, a national valuer with SDL property auctions, was expecting about 20 in-person viewings, a fraction of the interest the sale has generated. He said the seller had owned the bunker since 2008. Hes kind of felt hes had his fun with it, [so] its time for somebody else to have fun as well. Hes gravelled the drive, hes made sure the phone line is intact, hes decorated it, hes cleaned it, its dry, its got some sofa beds in there hes had some fun with it. You might have your own mobile home or caravan and you pitch up there and sleep underground because its a novelty. You can sit outside and admire the beautiful countryside. The Dentdale valley surroundings, even on a drizzly, misty July morning, are undeniably breathtaking. It is remote but, counterintuitively, has great transport links: it is right next to Dent railway station, the highest mainline station in England. From the road, you would never know the bunker was there. Behind a bush is a small concrete structure with a metal hatch. You descend 12 metres (40ft) down a metal ladder into what is like a small cellar or cell. Nick and Jo Bradley had travelled from Read in Lancashire. We like quirkiness and we love it up here, said Jo. This is quirky. Nick said they would go away and have a proper chat about what they would do with it. Warren Bardsley, from Manchester, was interested in the bunker as a retreat as well as its Airbnb potential. Its amazing, its unique, there is nothing like it, he said. But it is also a bit crazy. Getting down the ladder is not straightforward at least three people decided against it but it was easy enough for Dave Moll, from west Cumbria, who is in his 70s and lowered down his walking stick on a rope before getting in. It is unusual, he said. Its the quirkiness of it more than anything else. Demitriou said people registering their interest for the auction had all sorts of ideas for the bunker. Someone has said it would make a great music studio. There are also a lot of people into history who want to buy a piece of postwar Britain for not an exorbitant price. Some people want it as a bolthole where they can be away from everything. The bunker could have a practical purpose if bombs ever do go off although not for Strange. I would rather die along with everyone else, I think. Boxes of Ozempic and Wegovy made by Novo Nordisk are seen at a pharmacy in London, England, on 8 March 2024. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters An obscure federal statute is allowing US pharmacies to flood the market with unvetted knockoffs of Ozempic, the pricey weight-loss drug that is reducing and transforming the weight and silhouettes of millions of Americans. According to a Bloomberg investigation published Monday, a blind spot in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that allows pharmacies and compounders to reproduce drugs that are in short supply has helped to create a market of unbranded weight-loss drugs worth $1bn annually. Injectable weight-loss medications including Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic all have been in short supply as of late, according to the FDAs drug shortage list. While they are approved for diabetes but not formally for weight loss, an estimated 15.5 million US adults or 6% of the population have used them as of this past May. Alongside the shortages, the high cost of the drugs at about $1,000 monthly is not typically covered by insurers, causing people to seek cheaper alternatives. The market for Ozempic alone was estimated at $11bn this year and projected to hit $16.5bn by 2029, according to Mordor Intelligence. The copycat drugs, according to the outlet, are less reliable than brand-name medications created by over-stretched suppliers, including makers Eli Lilly and Company and Novo Nordisk A/S. Bloomberg reported that one consumer, Lindsay Posey, took one dose of the appetite-suppressant that worked well, a second that didnt and a third that caused her to breakout in acne on her cheeks, nose, chin and forehead. Acne is not listed as a potential side-effect of semaglutide medications, which include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, stomach pain, headache, fatigue, dizziness, bloating, belching, gas, heartburn and runny nose or sore throat. My skin just went absolutely crazy, Posey said. When her doctor suggested it might be the medication, she reflected: Thats not really something you want to hear. According to the American Pharmacists Association, compounding is the creation of a pharmaceutical preparation a drug by a licensed pharmacist to meet the unique needs of an individual patient (either human or animal) when a commercially available drug does not meet those needs. That includes when a patient may require a drug that is currently in shortage or discontinued, the pharmacists association says. Copycat or reformulated drugs are not tracked through FDA prescriptions systems or by many state pharmacy boards. In a statement, Scott Brunner, chief executive officer of the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, told the Guardian: Theres no blind spot or loophole in FDA guidance that allows state-licensed compounding pharmacies to prepare copies of FDA-approved drugs when those drugs are in shortage. He said: Its an intentional policy designed to assure patients dont have to do without often life-saving medications when drugmakers cant manage their supply chain. Unfortunately, patients can occasionally experience an adverse event when taking a compounded medication, just as they can with FDA-approved drugs. Were not talking about known side effects of a drug, but serious health-threatening effects. When they do occur, they must be thoroughly investigated to determine the cause of the adverse event. Nonetheless, a pharmacy in Louisiana produced nearly 300 vials of injectable weight-loss shots without doing proper contaminant testing. In Arizona, drugs were mixed in non-sterile conditions. Investigations are underway in Massachusetts and Mississippi. Drugs produced by compounders have caused problems in the past. In 2012, an outbreak of fungal meningitis was traced to a pharmacy in Massachusetts that had produced injectable steroids. More than 750 people in 20 states developed fungal infections, and more than 60 people died, according to the CDC. The extraordinary demand for injectable weight-loss drugs is producing lawsuits. Last year, a Florida judge ruled against Eli Lilly, maker of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, after it tried to use state law to block reformulated versions of the drug. US federal court judge Roy Altman wrote that Lilly was trying to preempt the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, has also challenged compounding pharmacies and wellness clinics for marketing altered versions of semaglutide. Novo has alleged that some compounded drugs had impurities or lower concentrations of semaglutide than they should, while Lilly has said some of the knock-off products are known to have bacteria or high levels of impurities. In May, Lilly settled with Totality Medispa, which it claimed had misled consumers into believing it was selling its FDA-approved drugs. The company said it was deeply concerned that products fraudulently claimed by compounding pharmacies or counterfeiters to be FDA-approved tirzepatide, Mounjaro or Zepbound may expose patients to serious health risks. In at least one instance, the product was nothing more than sugar alcohol. The agreement, the company said, was an important step forward. This is not a problem that Lilly can solve alone, the company also said, adding that it supported state and federal regulators taking action to deter and punish compounding pharmacies, counterfeiters and others who put patients at risk by selling unsafe products claiming to be tirzepatide. For her supporters, Kamala Harris is the best-positioned Democrat to take on Donald Trump in November - ANADOLU A lampooning from a major US satire show is something of a rite of passage for politicians; as much a confirmation of status as a ritual in humiliation. But when the Daily Show ridiculed Kamala Harriss unfortunate predisposition for word salads earlier this year, they hit on something that has concerned even the vice presidents allies. In the skit, impersonator Desi Lydic summarised Ms Harriss approach to public speaking. Its a process I call speaking without thinking, she said. Its not about the destination of the thought, its about the journey and how many words you use to describe the journey. Spliced with real clips of Ms Harriss speeches, the skits satirical brilliance lay in replicating, rather than exaggerating, their failings. Ms Harriss tendencies for vague terms and repetition, sometimes to the point of absurdity, have, fairly or unfairly, become a defining feature of her vice presidency and a regular source of ridicule for Republicans. So with the 59-year-old now on course to replace Joe Biden on the top of the 2024 Democratic ticket after he stepped down and endorsed her on Sunday night, her strengths and weaknesses are under renewed scrutiny. Those who have previously worked with Ms Harris broadly fall into two camps: those who loathe her and those who admire her. For her supporters, Ms Harris is the best-positioned Democrat to take on Donald Trump in November. With just over 100 days to go until election day, they point out she needs little introduction to voters. Her detractors say that is part of the problem. Mr Bidens disastrous debate performance has underscored for them the imperative of selecting a replacement able to withstand the on-screen rigours of a presidential race. Ms Harriss unexpectedly brief 2020 White House bid has not inspired confidence. When she first announced her candidacy, many saw promise in her ability to lead a future generation of Democrats. Californias former attorney general, and a promising new senator, she appeared to have it all: good looks and a biography that could appeal to centrists and progressives. Ms Harris seemed uniquely placed to rebuild Barack Obamas near-mythical voter coalition. Her frontrunner status even earned her a dedicated fanbase, nicknamed the K-Hive. But her campaign stumbled from the outset with a series of basic missteps. Her judgment was called into question more than once amid reports of staff mismanagement, and claims her sister, Maya, was playing an outsized role for which she was neither suited nor qualified. They had two pollsters, two campaign managers and two media consultants, said one Democratic insider. It was not well run. A flip-flop on critical policy positions like Medicare for all - led to a suspicion that Ms Harris, who had traded heavily on the backstory of her immigrant parents and their involvement in the civil rights struggle, did not have the firm ideological core she suggested. Political pragmatism may be an important quality in a politician, but it requires a dexterity Ms Harris appeared to lack. She had some great moments, said a former Obama strategist. Like in the debate where she hammered Joe Biden pretty good. But commentators were quick to note those moments were often scripted. She was a less agile performer when thinking on her feet something more than one former aide told The Telegraph remains true today. Ultimately, it was her inability to charm donors essential to any presidential bid that doomed her 2020 candidacy. She ran out of cash and quit the race before the Democratic primary had even begun. The fates appeared to be smiling on Ms Harris when, despite skewering Mr Biden in an early debate, he chose to make her his running mate. With the pairs White House victory, her position as his political heir seemed assured. At the time a first-term senator still finding her feet in Washington, and just 56 years old, it was an astonishing feat to find herself a heartbeat from the presidency. If good fortune had installed her in the White House, Ms Harriss luck soon dried up. Her vice presidency was dogged from the outset by negative press coverage. High staff turnover and reports of dysfunction in her office reignited past speculation about her chaotic management style. Meanwhile, her allies griped to reporters she was being sidelined by the Oval Office, and Biden aides briefed in return she was not pulling her weight, noting her lack of substantive policy accomplishments. Allies argue the deck was stacked against Ms Harris from the very beginning. The first half of her tenure was heavily restricted by a gridlocked US Senate, which kept her grounded in Washington to cast tie-breaking votes. A critical function, but an unglamorous administrative one. Meanwhile, Ms Harris was handed one of the most politically noxious briefs in Mr Bidens intray: solving the US-Mexico border crisis. With illegal immigration hitting record numbers under the Biden administration, her border tsar moniker has become a millstone around her neck. She unnecessarily exposed herself to criticism with tactless responses in interviews, such as in 2021 when she was asked why she had not yet visited the southern border. I havent visited Europe either, she replied. It was catnip for her critics. Another brief in her portfolio overseeing the National Space Council has produced no tangible results, but a speech on the subject was branded cringeworthy and patronising. Ms Harriss supporters have substantive responses to all the criticisms laid at her door. First and foremost, they argue that as the first female vice president, as well as the first black and Asian American in the role, the lens through which her record has been judged is tainted with racism, sexism and rank hypocrisy. The argument has at least some merit. Ms Harriss staffing turnover, for instance, is comparable with that of Dick Cheney and Mike Pence, as her close friend, Democratic strategist Karen Finney, has previously pointed out. There is little doubt, too, that as a history-breaking vice president, and deputy to Americas oldest ever commander-in-chief, she has faced an unparalleled set of expectations, without the constitutional power, or political levers, to meet them. Rule number one of being vice president, after all, is never outshine your boss. The role can be a poison chalice, or, in John Nance Garners phrasing, not worth a warm bucket of spit. Some of the attacks on Ms Harris, too, veer into the realm of caricature such as the social media mockery of her laugh, which has led Trump to dub her Laffin Kamala, or misleading editing of her body language. Real or manufactured, critics believe Ms Harris is viewed as inept and unpopular by voters. Indeed, for much of their first term, she has polled worse than the president with the worst approval rating of any vice president in at least one polls history It is why Republicans have for months campaigned on the line: vote Joe Biden, get president Kamala Harris. They believe her to be a bigger vote-loser than an 81-year-old asking the public for four more years. Mr Biden even inadvertently reinforced that view earlier this month, when he told a press conference at the Nato summit he was the best qualified candidate to beat Trump. It was a drastic shift from the man who vowed to be a bridge to a new generation four years ago. As he tried to defend his place as the partys nominee, Mr Bidens team polled how he compares against Ms Harris in voters estimation an apparent effort to show she is less popular, and therefore less likely to win, than himself. When he did drop out on Sunday night, Mr Biden made no mention of endorsing Mrs Harris in his resignation letter, instead thanking her an inexhaustible partner in his work. But moments later he put out the message in a post on X. I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year, he wrote. Democrats its time to come together and beat Trump. Lets do this. Efforts now will surely double to recast Ms Harris, and remind voters of the early promise of her 2020 bid. Career a succession of firsts Born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, Ms Harris has often spoken of how her parents - breast cancer researcher Shyamala Gopalan and economics professor Donald Harris - and their involvement in the civil rights movement, were a formative to her political outlook. Ms Harriss career has been a succession of firsts. She was the first woman and first person of colour to be elected as San Franciscos district attorney in 2004, and as Californias attorney general from 2011 to 2017. She was also the states first Indian-American and black senator. Defining her political ideology is often difficult. One underling during her time as district attorney of San Francisco described her as without doubt the most progressive prosecutor in California. One Democratic operative in the state who has known her for over two decades said while she fell on the partys left-of-centre, she doesnt follow a dogma or ideology. Garry South, a veteran California strategist who has known Ms Harris for years, said she should not be underestimated. You dont become the attorney general of the biggest state in America and senator for California without some serious political chops, he said. Can Ms Harris shake her reputation in higher office? Many Democrats believe she has already made a start. After more than three years under the intense media gaze, her gaffes have become less frequent and the turmoil in her office has stopped. She has undoubtedly grown into the international stage too: pulling off appearances at the Munich security conference and elsewhere without putting a foot wrong. Prolific on the campaign trail As the Biden campaigns most significant surrogate, she has been prolific on the campaign trail and reached constituencies few others can. Insiders describe her as most effective on issues close to her heart: chief among them reproductive rights, a key battleground in the 2024 election and potential kryptonite for Republicans. Her pitch could sway the suburban women Trump so desperately needs to win over. She has also been effective at encouraging turnout among black voters, a critical Democratic constituency where Mr Biden has been haemorrhaging support. Most significantly, her recent media performances have improved. Mr South said while he was been critical of her weak performance early on in her vice presidency, she has come alive since the roll back of abortion rights. He said: I think as a communicator she has gotten better, her messaging has improved. The former Obama strategist said her defence of Mr Biden after his June debate with Trump was a notable example. She was forced to go on CNN, with probably very little briefing, and gave what I thought was an incredibly good performance under really dire circumstances, the strategist said. She did two things. She was a better messenger than President Biden and she showed strength. If you want one quantity that matters more than anything in a presidential campaign, its strength. The strategist added: So why wouldnt we take the shot at Kamala? If she does secure the nomination, the Democrats will have to hope that, this time, Ms Harris makes better use of the good fortune she has been handed. Donald Trump might not be so happy about the Supreme Court's grant of presidential immunity after all, critics mocked Monday on social media as they warned of Joe Biden's alter ego, sinister Dark Brandon, who is now armed with the same immunity. Biden has six months left as president to apparently pretty much do whatever he wants, given the top court's vastly lowered behavior standard for the commander in chief, Trump critics chortled on X, which could be trouble if he unleashes Dark Brandon. Master Chess player. Checkmate Republicans. Dark Brandon pic.twitter.com/lNxxk7z3sk Dana (@DanaSan68018976) July 22, 2024 Dark Brandon has been granted immunity by the Supreme Court until January 2025. Lets Go Brandon. pic.twitter.com/PMfHeEQl4F Curtis Evans (@EvansWefixbikes) July 22, 2024 Lets take this new Total Immunity SCOTUS just gave me out for a test drive-Dark Brandon pic.twitter.com/tLBnUveClU SistahAsali (@SistahAsali) July 22, 2024 Biden pardoning his son on his way out of the White House is exactly what most would expect Trump to do in the same position, countless posts noted, so go ahead, Dark Brandon, urged his fans. Dark Brandon can pardon Hunter Biden! pic.twitter.com/SUM6L4VZZy Deb from IL (@MyRedBeetle) July 22, 2024 BREAKING: Freshly appointed immune from prosecution, King Dark Brandon declares by Executive Order no presidential candidate can be over 70 years old. Alacrity's Ghost (@AlacritysWhatev) July 22, 2024 Dark Brandon beat them with your immunity stick. Donald C. (@MrRatbone) July 22, 2024 BREAKING: Dark Brandon has just initiated the "Final Protocol". The Kamala Harris Protocol. The effects of the Kamala Harris protocol is mass confusion among Republicans who are now forced to attack a prosecutor who locked up bad guys, while supporting a man convicted of 34 pic.twitter.com/58ZzPgWStf Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) July 22, 2024 Guys, I'm still laughing at the fact that Biden made the entire Republican convention attack him for a whole week, and he's not even running. Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) July 22, 2024 I hope Biden goes FULL DARK BRANDON for the next three months. Forgive all student loans. Pardon Hunter. Release all of the evidence, all of the dirt, open up the shades and expose the corruption. Executive order for abortion rights. No pussyfooting. Anne Spanks The Morons (@Anneof1000Drags) July 22, 2024 Kamala Harris campaigns in Atlanta, Georgia, on 30 July 2024. Photograph: Elijah Nouvelage/AFP/Getty Images After Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, Kamala Harris swiftly became the presumptive Democratic nominee, as scores of high-profile elected Democrats lined up to endorse her. In Bidens announcement that he would no longer pursue a second term, he thanked Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. Later, in endorsing her, he called his choice to run with her in 2020 the best decision Ive made. In short order, a series of powerful endorsements rolled in, including from Democrats formerly viewed as possible presidential candidates themselves. Some of them are now being floated as potential vice-presidential candidates on a Harris ticket. Harris must now make a major decision: who will be her own running mate. Here are some of the names Democrats are floating as possible vice-presidential picks. Mark Kelly The Arizona senator would offer swing-state credibility and could be a favored choice among party elites, given his role as a moderate in the Democratic party. His record as a combat veteran US navy pilot and former astronaut could also be a draw for independent voters. Kelly has been an advocate for gun reform after a shooting left his wife the former US representative Gabby Giffords partly paralyzed. I couldnt be more confident that Vice-President Kamala Harris is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future, Kelly wrote on X, soon after Biden announced his withdrawal. Since then, Kelly has acted as possible vice-presidential picks always do: non-committal but enthusiastic. This is not about me, Kelly told reporters recently. But always, always when Ive had the chance to serve, I think thats very important to do. Josh Shapiro The governor of Pennsylvania has been a strong supporter of Biden and a faithful surrogate for his campaign. Shapiro also has a track record of winning races in a swing state, serving as Pennsylvanias attorney general for six years before being elected governor in 2022. An outspoken opponent of Trump for years, Shapiro has nonetheless built bipartisan support within his own state; a May Philadelphia Inquirer/New York Times/Siena College poll showed he enjoyed 42% approval from Republicans, a rare showing of support in an age of hyper-partisanship. Shapiro was swift to endorse Harris, saying she had served the country honorably and describing her as a unifying figure. He has since emerged alongside Kelly as a favourite to be picked. Like Kelly Shapiro is staying studiously modest, saying Harris will make that decision when she is ready, and I have all the confidence in the world that she will make that decision, along with many others, in the best interests of the Amercian people. Tim Walz The Minnesota governor has surged into contention, reportedly making up the leading trio with Shapiro and Kelly, in part because the Trump campaign started making noises about stealing Minnesota (long a Democratic bastion) and in part because Walz is proving a very effective surrogate indeed. A former teacher and sergeant in the US national guard, Walz has a folksy but compassionate air that plays well at rallies and on TV. In the latter arena, he called Trumps Republican party weird and gleefully defended and discussed that label. Walz is strong on fundraising calls too, including a White Dudes for Harris Zoom session that also featured Jeff Bridges and Mark Hamill and raised a cool $4m. Like Shapiro and Kelly, Walz is being careful to sound honoured, interested and non-committal: Being mentioned is certainly an honour. I trust Vice-President Harriss judgment I would do what is in the best interests of the country. Andy Beshear Beshears unlikely position as the Democratic governor of Kentucky a state that voted for Trump by 25 points in 2020 makes him a compelling candidate. In office, Beshear has vetoed Republican bills banning abortions and gender-affirming care for transgender minors, although the GOP-controlled state legislature was able to override his vetoes in both cases. Beshear would also offer a contrast to Trumps running mate, JD Vance, the Ohio senator who in his popular 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy claimed Appalachian culture was to blame for the regions impoverishment. On MSNBCs Morning Joe show recently, Beshear endorsed Harris and knocked Vance. JD Vance aint from here, Beshear said, nodding to Vances depictions of Kentuckians as lazy. Pete Buttigieg The US transportation secretary and is also a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who rocketed to political stardom during his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, an effort which gained surprising momentum given his sparse political record. A navy veteran, Buttigieg has spoken powerfully about coming out in 2015 and later marrying his husband, Chasten Glezman Buttigieg, and adopting children. Buttigieg has served during a tumultuous time for US transportation systems from the devastating and high-profile derailment of a train in East Palestine, Ohio, to airline meltdowns, to the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. He is also an effective communicator for Democratic causes in hostile arenas particularly on Fox News. No longer in the running: Gretchen Whitmer The Michigan governor is a Democratic star who some hoped would run for president this year and was then widely floated as a potential running mate, even if it seems highly unlikely Harris will pick another woman. Whitmer endorsed Harris swiftly and quickly dispelled the notion that she would be joining the ticket. Im not leaving Michigan, Whitmer said at a media event. Im proud to be the governor of Michigan. She later made that official, telling CBS: I have communicated with everyone, including the people of Michigan, that Im going to stay as governor until the end of my term, at the end of 2026. I am not a part of the vetting. No longer in the running: Roy Cooper The 67-year-old governor of North Carolina touts a long record in the state as a representative, attorney general and governor. Approaching the end of his time in the office, he has fought for the passage of bipartisan legislation despite Republicans controlling the state legislature. In 2023, Cooper signed into law Medicaid expansion, which some red states have declined despite the measure being guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act. Cooper also quickly endorsed Harris, saying: I appreciate people talking about me, but I think the focus right now needs to be on her this week. He then went further, telling supporters he did not want to be considered for the running mate pick. Well all work to make sure she wins, Cooper said. No longer in the running: Wes Moore The Maryland governor has been floated by some Democrats as a running mate. The only sitting Black governor is widely considered to be a rising star in the party but perhaps more a candidate for the presidential nomination itself in 2028 or even after that. Sworn into office in January 2023, Moores record in office is short. He has said that he would not want to be tapped as a vice-presidential candidate, saying: I want to stay as the Governor of Maryland, I love the momentum we are seeing right now in the state of Maryland. Romney Marsh Solar Farm in Kent. You can be pro-net zero or pro-zero building but not both, says new MP Torsten Bell. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA The government will need to take on net-zero nimbys and ramp up public investment to decarbonise Britains homes, transport and electricity system, a leading thinktank has said. With Keir Starmer promising a rapid transition to decarbonise the power system by 2030, a report by the Resolution Foundation said achieving the target would require more government spending and private investment. However, the thinktank said projects required to meet the goal including new solar farms, battery storage, and onshore wind turbines were likely to face resistance from local groups. It said many renewables projects would take place in wealthier parts of the country, and two-thirds of proposed solar projects would be in the richest 40% of neighbourhoods. Doing this effectively will require overcoming opposition to development from net-zero nimbys, who often live in wealthier parts of the country, said Jonny Marshall, a senior economist at the Resolution Foundation. The government must be prepared to win these battles, which wont be popular with some voters but are vital for the country as a whole. The thinktank said options for dealing with the friction could include taking responsibility out of local hands to unblock development, or providing financial incentives to smooth opposition. Alternatively, allowing local opposition could stymie decarbonisation. Starmers government is already taking steps by lifting a de facto ban on new onshore wind turbines in England, relaxing planning laws, and dropping the legal defence of a proposed new coalmine. Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, last week drew criticism from Conservative MPs over the green-lighting of a new 600m energy farm in their constituencies on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border. The Resolution Foundations former chief executive, Torsten Bell, who became a Labour MP earlier this month, has criticised politicians who are critical of new energy projects. This includes the Green party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who has called for a pause in the construction of electricity pylons in his East Anglian constituency, described by National Grid as vital infrastructure for electricity generated by offshore windfarms. Bell wrote on X last week: You can be pro-net zero or pro-zero building but not both . Ramsay, who is MP for Waveney Valley, has called on the government to consider other options, which he says would be more appropriate. Labour this year drastically scaled back a promise to spend 28bn a year on green infrastructure, fearing it would be weaponised by the Conservatives ahead of the general election. Last week the watchdog Committee on Climate Change said the new government needed to oversee a ramping up of renewable energy generation or the UK will breach its international obligations under the Paris agreement. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said the government was wasting no time in taking action on green energy. In just one week, we have swept away barriers to onshore wind farms, consented more solar power than has been installed in the past year and set out plans for a solar rooftop revolution. It is also important we listen to peoples concerns, and where communities host clean energy infrastructure they should benefit directly from it. Richard Hall claims that the terrorist attack was staged by government agencies - JORDAN PETTITT/PA A man who claims the Manchester Arena bombing was faked is perfectly entitled to his view, the High Court has heard. Richard Hall, a self-described journalist, is being sued by survivors Martin and Eve Hibbert for harassment and data protection breaches. The father and daughter were at the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017 and suffered life-changing injuries, with Mr Hibbert left with a spinal cord injury and Miss Hibbert, then aged 14, suffering severe brain damage. However, Mr Hall has claimed the attack, in which Salman Abedi detonated a rucksack bomb in the crowd of concert-goers, was faked by government agencies with crisis actors used. He is being sued over several videos and a book in which he has made claims that the bombing was a hoax, as well as for secretly filming Eve and her mother at their house. Eve and Martin Hibbert pictured shortly before making their way to the Ariana Grande concert Defending the claims, lawyers for Mr Hall said his actions were pursued for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime and that he had deleted the footage from outside the home. Paul Oakley, for Mr Hall, claimed his client had formed his views after he scoured the public domain. He told the court: My client is perfectly entitled to hold his views and he is willing to amend them if he is made aware of evidence to the contrary. In written submissions, Mr Oakley said Mr Hall had the right to freedom of expression. He said: However unpleasant Mr Halls published views are considered to be, they are protected. On Monday, Mr Hibbert and Mr Hall appeared at the High Court for the first day of the trial, with around 20 members of the public watching the proceedings. They will never recover Jonathan Price, for the Hibberts, said the pair had been among those nearest to Abedi when he detonated the bomb and that the attack changed Mr Hibberts life in every conceivable way. They have both suffered life-changing injuries from which they will never recover, the barrister said. The court heard that Mr Hibbert received 22 wounds from shrapnel, and Miss Hibbert suffered a catastrophic brain injury after a bolt from the bomb struck her in the head leading to her being presumed dead at the scene. Mr Price added: Martin, paralysed, saw Eve lying next to him with a hole in her head and assumed he was watching her die, unable to help. He saw others lying dead or injured around him. He continued: Mr Hall does not accept any of this. His theory is that it is an elaborate hoax. The barrister said Mr Hall had claimed Mr Hibbert was lying and that Miss Hibbert was disabled before the bombing. He continued: Mr Hall says her parents are invoking their daughters catastrophic disability as part of a huge fraud on the general public. The court was later told that, while there was one incident of filming, this was from a public highway and the footage was never published. Mr Oakley continued: It is submitted that this single incident would not be sufficient to found an action. The hearing in London is due to conclude on Thursday, with a decision expected in writing at a later date. Education facilities have been damaged and destroyed by airstrikes, heavy weaponry, ground offensives and fire - AP/File More than 170 schools and universities have been attacked in Myanmar since the 2021 military coup, a new report has revealed. The investigation by the Centre for Information Resiliences Myanmar Witness project shows that childrens education has been increasingly caught in the crossfire of the three-year conflict that has shaken the nation since the military seized power from a democratically elected government. Its analysis reveals 174 attacks in which schools and universities have been impacted in Myanmar between the coup in February 2021 and 30 April 2024. During this period, education facilities were damaged and destroyed by airstrikes, heavy weaponry, ground offensives and fire. Images on social media show schools with caved-in roofs, burned-out structures and littered with debris. Myanmar Witness documented reports of 64 fatalities and 106 injuries during all incidents, though very few deaths have been verified due to challenges in verifying and geolocating user-generated content of the victims. The analysis finds most attacks were carried out from the air, with airstrikes by the Myanmar military causing the most damage. The strikes happened despite ongoing international sanctions against aviation fuel being supplied to the junta. Schools meant to be a place of safety Matt Lawrence, project director at Myanmar Witness, said that the conflict in Myanmar was having devastating consequences for civilians, uprooting hundreds of thousands from their homes. Caught in the crossfire of fighting is a generation of schoolchildren who are having their hope of education taken away from them. This investigation tells only part of the story the damage and disruption to teaching, he said. Schools in Sagaing, northwest Myanmar, often described as the epicentre of the conflict, have suffered the most damage, with around a third of all incidents taking place in the region. The report details four case studies in which schools were damaged. After an attack on Kani township, Sagaing region, on 17 May last year, munitions and imagery analysis of jet aircraft in the vicinity indicated that the military was likely responsible for an airstrike which damaged school buildings and reportedly injured two children. The data is clear: schools are being destroyed, civilians seriously hurt and educational opportunities further suppressed in Myanmar, said a UK Foreign Office spokesperson. Schools are meant to be a place of safety and opportunity, not collateral in a conflict, said the spokesperson. We again reiterate our call to all parties, particularly the Myanmar military, to refrain from airstrikes, safeguard civilians, and protect civilian infrastructure. The UK has already committed to providing 3.5m to Myanmar Witness since 2021, and also 800,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar (IIMM) to ensure justice for victims of serious international crime and hold the perpetrators to account. The UK has also helped support over 270,000 children access education, including 135,000 female students between June 2023 November 2024. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Dorset's Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove attract some 750,000 visitors to the area every year - Paul Jacobs/pictureexclusive.com The private estate that owns Durdle Door, the popular beauty spot, has raised its car parking charges by 66 per cent, The Telegraph can reveal. Motorists expressed outrage on social media after discovering that the cost of parking at Lulworth Cove on the Jurassic Coast appeared to have risen dramatically since March. The 12,000-acre Lulworth Estate, which runs the car park and facilities on the five-mile stretch of coastline and is owned by the Weld family, is charging 30 for caravans to park, 20 for all-day parking for cars and 5 for motorbikes. Online posts from March show it was charging 20 for caravans to park, 12 for all-day parking for cars and 2 for motorbikes. TripAdvisor user 'Caroline' said: 'They've got you once you've planned your day and arrived' - Paul Jacobs/pictureexclusive.com Durdle Door is one of Dorsets most popular attractions, with some 750,000 visitors to the area every year. The influx of tourists in recent years has prompted a backlash from locals, with residents erecting signs saying go home at the peak of numbers during the Covid lockdown. In 2021, Lulworth Estate called on the Government to impose a code of behaviour after it said visitors had mistreated the area. Anti-social behaviour The council rolled out measures to curb anti-social behaviour in Dorset the same year, including a ban on beach camping. Similar frustrations boiled over in Snowdonia, where tourists were accused of littering, illegal parking and anti-social behaviour. One user on TripAdvisor said the car parking charges for Durdle Door were a rip-off. Theyve got you once youve planned your day and arrived, said the user, posting under the name Caroline. Abandoned Another user said they had abandoned a short trip to the beach because they were put off by the minimum 10 charge to park, which allows cars to stay for up to four hours. The new charges put Durdle Door alongside some of the most expensive seaside areas for parking, including Brighton, where drivers can expect to pay around 24 to park all day. Car parking tickets at Durdle Door also enable drivers to park at the nearby Lulworth Cove, part of the World Heritage Site. The area of the Jurassic Coast that includes Durdle Door, a natural limestone formation, became Englands first natural World Heritage Site after it was designated by Unesco in 2001. The Lulworth Estate was purchased in 1641 by Humphrey Weld, the grandson of a merchant and former Lord Mayor of London, and has stayed in the family ever since. It was reinvented as a tourist destination by Wilfrid Weld, who died in 2016, and oversaw the estates reinvention into a modern business. The Lulworth Estate was contacted for comment. In poll after poll around two thirds of Americans support a woman's right to choose - Alex Wong/Getty Can you think of any laws that give the government the power to make decisions about the male body? This was the question Kamala Harris asked Brett Kavanaugh at the Senate Judiciary confirmation hearing in 2018. Kavanaugh was Trumps pick, a conservative, to sit on the Supreme Court. This Supreme Court was to overturn Roe v Wade, the landmark case that recognised womens constitutional right to abortion. Kavanaugh wavered. Uh, Im happy to answer a more specific question but then he trailed off. Trump, who had years earlier (in 2011) donated to Harriss campaign, called her questioning nasty. Now that Biden has gone and the tributes flow in about his selflessness, when in fact for the good of his party his clinging on looks the very opposite, the anointing of Harris by Democrat Party donors already appears a done deal. But, given the tumult of this last week in American politics, who can be certain of anything? The only thing I am certain of is that we are a very different country to America. Young women in America now have fewer rights than their mothers, which is shocking. In June 2022, when Roe v Wade was overturned, regulation of abortion was returned to individual states. As a result, 14 states have banned abortion in almost all circumstances and 10 have imposed restrictions that often end up being overturned by the courts. One in three American women of reproductive age lives in a state with bans or restrictions. Yet at least a quarter of women in the US will have had an abortion by the age of 45. In poll after poll around two thirds of Americans support a womans right to choose. The question, then, is whether this will be an electoral issue? If it is, Harris is in a good place to fight it. Whatever her shortcomings have been, she is impressive on reproductive rights the phrase Biden has always preferred because, as a Catholic, he has clearly found this issue problematic. Yet, after the overturning of Roe v Wade, the number of women registering to vote rose by 35 per cent in 10 states. In polls, a fifth of registered voters (mostly Democrats and Independents) said they would not compromise on this issue. This has been borne out. It was partly fury over the loss of abortion rights that stopped the expected Republican red wave in the 2022 midterms. In 2023, the same issue was said to be behind the Democrats victory in elections in Virginia. Voters were in favour of reproductive rights in referendums across red states such as Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio. The Democrats strategy included emotive attack ads, as the anti-abortionists had done for years, telling the stories of a woman in Texas who had to leave the state after finding out that the foetus she was carrying could never survive, and a 12-year-old girl raped by a member of her own family unable to access termination. It should never be forgotten that it was a conservative minority that pushed through this legislation, and their actual goal is to ban all contraception. They succeeded in part because of the complacency of a Democratic establishment. We have seen a lot of that again lately. The feted Ruth Bader Ginsburg would not retire when Obama was president, which meant that when she died she could be replaced by a conservative judge. While non-profit organisation Planned Parenthood got hooked into divisive rows on race, Medicare and trans politics, evangelicals were coming together with Catholics and occasionally big tech (who have access to abortion data) to take away a womans right to choose. The Democrats who cannot define womanhood, and that includes Harris, will have to pick their way through this. There is no such thing as a gender-neutral abortion, but it is Trump who is now on the back foot on this issue. As ever, he has no core belief except in what wins. At times he has described himself as a moderate, but is now playing to his Christian base. In choosing the Ohio senator JD Vance as a running mate, though, he is boxed in. Vance is against all abortion in all circumstances, including rape and incest. That these dubious men should legislate over the rights of women disgusts me. Womens bodily autonomy is not something that should have ever been a partisan issue. The anti-abortion lobby cleverly embraced a civil rights discourse, insisting that the right to life of a six-week-old foetus is equal to the right to life of the woman carrying it. To those that are opposed to abortion, I say: Fine, dont have one but why would you take this right away from others? Harris watched the reversal of Roe v Wade from Airforce Two and wrote a speech in which she spoke of freedom, healthcare, womens right to privacy, and the right for each person to make intimate decisions about our heart and home. She linked this right to other rights that America thought were settled, such as inter-racial marriage. She spoke of Americas aspiration as being to expand freedom. Whether she will become the Democratic nominee and whether suburban women can be mobilised remains to be seen. As ever, though, womens rights are not a marginal issue. Indeed, they may be key if America is to stop going backwards. Noxious algal blooms returned to Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland, earlier than ever this year, indicating a rise in phosphorous inputs into the lake. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA There will have to be a move away from intensive farming around Lough Neagh if it is to survive, campaigners have said, as the noxious algal blooms that last year devastated the vast body of water returned to its shores earlier than ever. Lough Neagh is the UKs largest lake and supplies more than 40% of Northern Irelands drinking water. But vast amounts of phosphorus, nitrogen and other substances draining into the lough have left it at crisis point for some years now. Late last week an action plan was finally agreed for the lake by the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland. The strategy promises a range of farming support measures aimed at reducing pollution pressures across the loughs 1,876-sq mile (4,860 sq km) cross-border catchment area. Additionally, it includes real-time water quality and safety monitoring, and a pilot programme for buffer zones and tree planting around the banks, in an effort to limit contamination input. It also promises a scientific review of industrial sand extraction, which is scarring the lough bed. However 17 of the plans 37 measures could not be taken forward prior to the summer break, with the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) reportedly blocking a number of the most controversial actions some of which cut across more than one Stormont department. It has been reported that the DUPs opposition was linked to proposals on farming and environmental penalties. The agriculture and environment minister, Andrew Muir, hailed the plan as an important milestone in charting a new course for Lough Neagh. However, a number of campaigners criticised Stormonts document for vague language and for dilution of certain actions following political opposition. A proposed restriction on the use of chemical fertilisers became a commitment to consult on the issue in the final text. Alongside prioritising investment in wastewater treatment works, it was one of a number of key recommendations put before the executive earlier this year. Agriculture accounts for 62% of the loughs phosphorous inputs which create the conditions for cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, to thrive while wastewater and sewage discharges make up 24%. Another 12% comes from septic tanks, of which there are more than double the UK average within the lough catchment. Mary OHagan, the co-founder of the Save Our Shores grassroots initiative, said that although her organisation was happy to see the Lough Neagh action plan has now been approved it falls far short of whats actually needed in many areas. She added: Where are the targets for reduction of sewage going into our rivers and slurry run-off into the lough? OHagans group is calling for a moratorium on sand extraction and a move away from intensive farming activity that has created waste disposal headaches for decision-makers. Dr Les Gornall, a slurry expert who worked at Lough Neaghs last major research station (now closed), said the overwhelming priority for any clean-up effort was to drastically bring down the levels of phosphorous entering the watershed. The algal bloom has accelerated this year, he said. In other words, its appeared 14 days earlier this year than it did last year. That tells me that Lough Neaghs phosphorous inputs are higher than ever before. He added that between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes of additional phosphorous had gone into the lough system since 2023s algal bloom. Scientists have modelled timescales of between 20 and 40 years for adequate phosphorous removal from the loughs sediment, if significant reduction measures are taken right away. The last thing we want to see is images of standpipes in Belfast, Gornall said. Its a very serious situation for the drinking water supply, for the people drinking that water, for the people using the lough. Tourism here is a 1bn industry and some very good businesses had to close last year. We have to remove 50% of the phosphorous going into the lough immediately. The executives rescue plan was agreed the same week Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury, whose estate owns the loughs bed, banks and soil, met with stakeholders to discuss the lakes future. Controversy over the earls income from the lough, which include royalty payments for sand extraction and wildfowling activity, led to a keynote speaker pulling out of a festival hosted on the grounds of his stately home in Dorset last month. Ashley-Cooper has now suggested he may seek to transfer ownership of the inherited asset to a charity or a community development trust. He said he had a constructive discussion with the minister on the issues facing Lough Neagh, adding: I reiterated my commitment to work with his team and other stakeholders to find solutions as I firmly believe we need to work together to secure the loughs long-term future. Both the devolved Department of Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Affairs and Department for Infrastructure have been contacted for comment. Last week, the last remaining warship a Project 1135 class patrol frigate slunk quietly out of Sevastopol harbour, which had been the main base of Russias Black Sea Fleet since 2014. Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk suggested we should remember this day. I have cautioned previously about drawing too much hope overall from maritime success in this conflict, but what does this embarrassing withdrawal mean more widely? Operationally, the loss of the port is significant although it has been a long time coming. But is the scale of the embarrassment sufficient to have a strategic effect? From a pure maritime perspective, this is the last in a long list of humiliations suffered by the Black Sea Fleet since the 2022 invasion. April 2022 saw the sinking of the Fleets flagship, the cruiser Moskva. This was the first public indication that Russian warships ability to defend against even basic attacks was largely absent. October that year saw the first multiple unmanned attacks with both air and sea drones surging into Sevastopol and damaging the corvette Admiral Makarov. September 2023 saw a complex Storm Shadow missile attack, which crippled the warship Minsk and the submarine Rostov on Don, as well as hitting the Sevastopol naval headquarters building. These strikes were enabled by special forces and missile strikes on Russian S-400 air defence systems. Russian naval leadership retreated a few miles to their backup command post at Verkhne Sadovoe only for that to be hit in turn a few days later. At roughly the same time the Storm Shadows were wreaking havoc in Sevastopol, three Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) were targeting the tanker Yaz and the arms ship Ursa Major. In October the then UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey described the Black Sea Fleet as functionally defeated. I felt this was slightly premature for two reasons. First, at this point, Russian attempts to restrict the outflow of grain and other exports through the Bosphorus were still working. Second, Russia still had ships and submarines operating and armed with the Kalibr missile. This is a powerful cruise weapon with the legs to cover the whole of the Black Sea, no matter how far east Russia might have to retreat. One must remember that to target a ship with a Kalibr you need to know where it is and where its going knowledge which the Russians were now finding hard to obtain in the western Black Sea. Putins men were limping but the Black Sea remained contested. By December, however, the cumulative effect of all these strikes and the fact that Russia was unable to spare proper surveillance aircraft for the Black Sea meant that the waters between Odesa and Snake Island were safe enough for grain vessels and other merchant traffic. Cargoes could move reasonably safely between Ukrainian-held harbours and the territorial waters of Nato allies Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, where the Russians dared not interfere with them. By March of this year, surface strikes using the Magura V5 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) were in full swing and now, one third of the Black Sea Fleet fleet had been sunk. This caused the UK MoD to relabel the Fleet as functionally inactive, a more accurate description than functionally defeated, perhaps. May saw a multi-pronged attack on the port of Novorossiysk, the Tuapse refinery and nearby oil terminal. This was by air and surface drones which defeated Russian defence systems and tactics once again. And then a few days later, American supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) ballistic weapons struck the pier in Sevastopol, sinking the minesweeper Kurovets and hitting a Karakurt class Kalibr corvette two of the few Russian warships which hadnt fled Crimea for the relative safety of Novorossiysk. In the middle of all this, two attempts have been made on the Kerch road and rail bridges, one by a truck full of explosives and one by USVs. Both resulted in damage and repair bills but neither were decisive. The importance of the bridge, both tactically and symbolically makes it a valid ATACMS target and I have suggested in these pages that another attempt on it is only a matter of time. It remains unclear whether America has supplied ATACMS with potentially bridge-busting unitary warheads, as opposed to ones which deliver a spread of cluster submunitions the latter type would be far less effective against major structures. And so it continues. Only last week there was a large attack on Sevastopols support facilities with Russia claiming they destroyed 33 UAVs and 10 USVs. The accuracy of this claim (likely exaggerated), how many got through and to what effect is yet to be determined. Looking forward, there are three layers to this. First is the impact the maritime attrition is having on Russias ability to fight at sea, blockade trade and ensure their own sea-based logistics. These are as close to zero as its possible to be, even with some Kalibr shooters still available. There may well be launchers and ships, but there probably arent many actual Kalibrs left to put in them: and Russia has basically no ability any more to locate and track targets across much of the Black Sea, meaning that Kalibrs cant be used even if they are available. Russias inability to move supplies by sea is probably not a major factor along the eastern part of the battle front, but at the western end of the front lines all supplies must now come either across the Kerch bridges or all the way from the 2014 Russian border, across the land bridge which is now entirely within the ATACMS envelope. If the bridges do come down, Russian troops on the Dnipro and in Crimea will have no credible avenue of retreat and will be at the end of long, vulnerable supply lines. So the second major point is the status of Crimea itself. This totemic peninsula, described by Putin as Russias holy land is already no longer a viable base for maritime operations. There is at least the possibility that Putin will come perhaps has already come to find it a burden rather than a military asset. The Kerch bridges are within range of ATACMS, Storm Shadow/SCALP and both the Stalker and Magura USVs. Ukraine has shown repeatedly that it has the capability to combine these weapons to great effect. If Crimea does get cut off and its garrison perhaps also the civilians remaining there are starved out, what does that do to the whole war? Losing Sevastopol is one thing, is losing the holy land strategically and politically sustainable for Putin? This leads me to the third and perhaps most important point, one of escalation management. Arguably it has been the fear of crossing Putins red lines that has determined the pace and nature of response from Nato and other allies. The US, in particular, has been accused of over-caution in this regard, with Britain and France left to lead the way in supplying battle tanks and long-ranging missiles. Does this metric now shift as a result of Sevastopol? How many more red lines need to be crossed without response before President Biden and his team feel they can up the ante? Some movement must be happening in Washington. Will it be enough for support levels to become decisive? Too soon to tell, perhaps, but one to watch. Lifting our focus for a moment from the Black Sea, it has to be said that it is not only Putin who has allowed his enemies to cross red lines and done nothing. The West has been guilty of this too. Syria in 2013 is an obvious example but more recently, endless Russian and Chinese activity at sea has been conducted in a grey zone where proportional and legal responses are hard to come by. By quietly crossing Putins red lines, President Zelensky and his Western backers are finally pushing back. Being driven out of your premier naval base in the only active theatre of war is embarrassing, but the operational implications are probably less significant than the strategic effects on escalation management, Nato support levels and Ukrainian fighting morale. Tom Sharpe is a former Royal Navy officer and a graduate of the UK armed forces Advanced Command and Staff Course Suella Braverman toured a building site on the outskirts of Kigali when she was home secretary The Rwanda scheme has cost taxpayers 700 million despite only four migrants voluntarily being sent to Kigali, Yvette Cooper disclosed on Monday. The Home Secretary described it as the most shocking waste of taxpayers money she had ever seen as she confirmed that the Rwanda scheme would be scrapped and the law changed so that nearly 90,000 migrants can seek asylum in the UK. She told MPs that the Tories had budgeted to spend more than 10 billion over six years on the deal with the east African country. Ms Cooper said the 700 million already spent included 290 million upfront payments to Rwanda, chartering flights that never took off, detaining hundreds of migrants and then releasing them, and paying for 1,000 civil servants to work on the scheme. Just four failed asylum seekers volunteered to go to Rwanda. It had been thought that 90,000 migrants who arrived in the UK after March 2023 were covered by Rishi Sunaks Illegal Migration Act. This gave the home secretary powers to detain anyone arriving illegally and deport them to Rwanda or send them back to their home country. Home Office backlog However, Ms Cooper said she had been shocked to discover that some 60 per cent about 54,000 of them should have been allowed to claim asylum and have their applications processed in the normal way. This was because they had entered the country legally on visas then sought to claim asylum. This meant only 36,000 of the 90,000 were eligible for deportation to Rwanda, but Ms Cooper told MPs that the Home Office had been unable to distinguish between the two cohorts so had not processed any applications. Rishi Sunak pledged to stop small boats crossing the Channel - JAMES MANNING/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES I have been shocked to discover that the Home Office has effectively stopped making the majority of asylum decisionsand as a result, the backlog of asylum cases is now going up. It is the most extraordinary policy I have ever seen. We have inherited Hotel California. People arrive in the asylum system and never leave, she said. As revealed last week by The Telegraph, Ms Cooper said that she would be introducing legislation via a statutory instrument in the Commons to enable the Home Office to start clearing the backlog of 90,000 cases. Labour is setting up a returns and enforcement unit, which will prioritise and fast-track the removal of failed asylum seekers from safe countries such as Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Egypt and Albania. Ms Cooper claimed that clearing the asylum backlog would save 7 billion over the next decade on top of 750 million that was set aside by the previous government to cover the cost of the Rwanda scheme this year and 220 million on further payments due to Rwanda in 2025 and 2026. Rwanda had established initial accommodation at Hope Hostel in Kigali with capacity for 200 migrants - CYRILE NDEGEYA/ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES The money saved will be used to set up Sir Keir Starmers new Border Security Command, with National Crime Agency, Border Force and MI5 officers handed anti-terror-style powers to tackle the people-smuggling gangs. However, Ms Cooper warned: Im extremely concerned that high levels of dangerous crossings we have inherited are likely to persist through the summer. James Cleverly, the shadow home secretary, accused her of using made-up numbers and accused Labour of showing discourtesy towards the Rwandan government. The Labour Party and indeed the Home Secretary in her statement likes to talk tough on border security, but todays statement, despite all the hyperbole and the made-up numbers, is basically an admission of what we knew all along, he said. That the Labour Party have scrapped the Rwanda partnership on ideological grounds, removed a deterrent a deterrent which the National Crime Agency said that we needed. And the level of discourtesy directed towards the people and government of Rwanda is quite breathtaking. To have them read about this decision in the papers before anyone from Government had the good grace to formally notify them, I think, is an error, and no one in this House believes for a moment that that level of discourtesy would have happened had this partnership been with a European country, Mr Cleverly said. Rescue operations Home Office figures showed nearly 1,500 migrants had arrived in the UK on small boats across the Channel in one week. About 1,499 people made the journey in 27 boats from July 15 to 21, while the French coastguard confirmed two people died amid rescue operations off the northern French coast. It comes after Jeremy Hunt accused Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, of softening us up for tax rises over the Governments claims it has been given the worst economic inheritance since the Second World War. Mr Hunt claimed that Ms Reeves was using the line, which he described as most dubious, as a pretext for announcing long-planned tax rises. He told the Commons: Every Labour government in history has raised taxes and raised spending. If she wanted to do the same, she should have had the courage to make the case for that before the election. Instead, she is softening us up for a colossal U-turn that will lead to lower growth, less money for public services and massive public anger. He added: As she establishes her reputation, it is surely unwise to base your big central argument on a claim so patently ridiculous. But we all know exactly why shes doing it she wants to lay the ground for tax rises that she has been planning all along. Ms Reeves hit back at Mr Hunts claims, telling him: If that is such a good inheritance, I would hate to see what a bad one looks like. The New York Post reported 'the end' on Sunday after Joe Biden withdrew - CAITLIN OCHS/REUTERS Joe Biden acted in the national interest by quitting the presidential race but the timing of his decision was questionable, the international press concluded while world leaders quickly issued tributes commending the US Presidents selfless courage. Emotional scenes played out on American television as the news broke on Sunday, with several supporters choking up on-air including a CNN commentator who compared Mr Bidens heartbreaking exit to taking car keys from an ageing grandfather. This is leadership, this is patriotism, Van Jones said on CNN, adding that he loved Mr Biden. If your arm gets tired you let somebody else finish pitching the game. The Sunday sobbing prompted ridicule from the New York Post which said the Liberal media had gone into meltdown. The New York Post front page Its print front page read the end over a photograph of Mr Biden walking out a door. In the UK, most newspapers played a straight bat, reporting simply Biden quits and Biden bows out. British prime ministers past and present, meanwhile, were swift with their praise and wanted to underscore how Mr Biden had bolstered Washingtons strong transatlantic relationship with London. Except for Russia which predictably derided his performance, most other heads of state chose to comment on Mr Bidens lifelong service to the US and contribution to global affairs including his handling of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Daily Mail front page Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, said Mr Biden had a remarkable career and would have made his decision based on what he believes is best for the American people. Sir Keirs predecessors Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson recalled their own warm working relationships with Mr Biden and their admiration for his skills as a politician. Mr Johnson commended the presidents brave decision to stand down as he branded him a staunch Atlanticist and friend of Britain. Liberation front page Mr Sunak said: Working with Joe Biden, I saw firsthand his love for America and dedication to service. Our partnership has led to significant achievements, including Aukus, steadfast support for Israel and joint efforts in defending our people from Houthi threats. I wish him all the best. John Swinney, the Scottish First Minister, said on X: Joe Biden has served the people of the USA with devotion and total commitment. Now, in a typically selfless act, he steps aside to do what he thinks is right for his people. Leaders did not mention concerns about the 81-year-old Mr Bidens cognitive decline or the fact his ability to perform on the world stage had been in doubt since he appeared to fall asleep at the COP26 climate change summit in his first year as president. The Daily Stars editors remembered that viral moment from 2021 when they scrapped their front page plans to instead cover the breaking news from Washington DC. Sleepy Joe: Its time for a nap! the tabloid read. The Daily Star In Europe, Donald Tusk, the Polish president, was one of the first to react to the news, focusing on Mr Bidens contribution to global politics. The US presidents many difficult decisions had helped keep Poland, America and the world safe and democracy stronger, he said in a social media post. I know you were driven by the same motivations when announcing your final decision. Probably the most difficult one in your life, Mr Tusk wrote. Politiken front page Svenska front page Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines wartime president, thanked Mr Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraines fight for freedom during the countrys most dramatic moment in history. He said that the presidents bold steps and strong decisions had assisted Ukraine in preventing Putin from occupying our country, adding he respected the tough but strong decision Mr Biden had taken not to seek re-election. The current situation in Ukraine and all of Europe is no less challenging, and we sincerely hope that Americas continued strong leadership will prevent Russian evil from succeeding or making its aggression pay off, Mr Zelensky said. Earlier this month, Mr Biden made one of his worst on-air mistakes when he called Mr Zelensky President Putin when introducing him at the Nato summit in Washington. Russia, meanwhile, responded to Mr Bidens announcement by lashing out over his foreign policy decisions, with Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the Russian parliaments lower house, calling for the president to be held accountable for the Ukraine conflict and damage caused to Russia and Europes economies. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said Russia would be carefully monitoring the next four months until the election. The priority for us is the special military operation, he said, referring to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Timing under question The Russian foreign ministry also took a personal swipe at the presidents health, insinuating a cover-up by the US establishment. The next step should be an investigation into the collusion of US media and political circles that hid the truth about his mental state by manipulating public opinion and playing along with one political party, said Maria Zakharova, the ministry spokesman. Several headlines in the US media did reflect strong scepticism about why Mr Biden waited to withdraw from the race and concluded that he could have ultimately cost the Democrats the presidency. New York Times front of website The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said that while Mr Biden was acting in the national interest, it had been a belated and begrudging decision. He clearly isnt capable of doing the job of President for four more years, and he was headed for a crushing defeat against Donald Trump, the WSJ editorial board wrote. Kamala Harris greatest disadvantage would be that she would carry the legacy of his drama-filled years in office, and she would have to answer questions about whether she covered up Mr Bidens cognitive decline. Did she deceive the public? the WSJ asked. Several other media outlets, including Germanys Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Time, and Le Monde chose to lead their coverage with jarring images of the back of Joe Bidens head, or of him exiting a stage. Fox News front page Time Magazine almost immediately issued a new cover, showing Mr Biden disappearing to the right as Kamala Harris strode into sight following in his footsteps. Time Magazine has unveiled a new cover featuring Kamala Harris after Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race.https://t.co/FDrc8KqVYp Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) July 22, 2024 In the first moments after his announcement, however, Mr Bidens detractors were overshadowed by praise from leaders among his foreign allies. True ally of Jewish people Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, also invoked Mr Bidens geopolitical contribution, saying that thanks to the president, transatlantic cooperation is close, Nato is strong and the USA is a good and reliable partner for us. His decision not to run again deserves respect. Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, added to the stream of European support for his dignified decision and underlined his determination and leadership that helped the US recover from the pandemic and serious assault on the Capitol as well as tackling Putins Russian aggression. The Biden administration in recent months has walked a tightrope in trying to support the Israeli government after Hamas terror attacks of Oct 7, while also facing a domestic public backlash over rising Palestinian civilian casualties. Arab news front page El Mundo front page In the Middle East, Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, led his countrys response with a heartfelt thanks to the US leader for his friendship and steadfast support for the Israeli people and as the first US president to visit the country in wartime. As a true ally of the Jewish people, he is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between our two peoples, he said, extending his warmest wishes to the whole Biden family. Yoav Gallant, Israels defence minister, wrote on X, Your steadfast backing, especially during the war, has been invaluable. We are grateful for your leadership and friendship. The remaining members of the US so-called Five Eyes intelligence alliance, who have more closely cooperated with Mr Biden over major global challenges including Chinas swiftly rising global prominence, were also effusive in their comments. Biden team blew it As Australia woke up to the latest dramatic twist in the US presidential race, Anthony Albanese, the prime minister, commended Mr Bidens leadership and ongoing service. The Australia-US Alliance has never been stronger with our shared commitment to democratic values, international security, economic prosperity and climate action for this and future generations, he said. Australias media was less kind. Joe Biden steps down: How the US Presidents inner circle blew it, said one headline on the Sydney Morning Heralds home page. The Mudoch-owned Australian newspaper delivered a crushing verdict. It said: Truly this is an age defined by the follies and obsessions of old men, and concluded that Mr Biden had done his party enormous damage by denying what everyone else saw: an old man in manifest mental decline. Democrats must now pick a replacement in a panic in a process which will inevitably seem to lack legitimacy to anyone but the winner, it added. However global leaders continued to salute a leader they admired for his personal qualities and supportive policies. Christopher Luxon, New Zealands prime minister, said that Mr Biden reserved respect for dedicating his life to public service. I thank the President for his leadership of the United States and his commitment to New Zealand. And I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency, he said. Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, called the US president a great man who was guided by his love for his country. He added, As president, he is a partner to Canadians and a true friend. To President Biden and the First Lady: thank you. Japans leader Fumio Kishida, with whom Mr Biden has cultivated close ties for his support over Chinas ambitions and the nuclear threat from North Korea, said he would closely watch future developments. It goes without saying that the US-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of our countrys diplomatic and security policies, he said. A view of some of the pieces of African art being stored at the Harris County Reed Road Warehouse by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis is shown Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Houston. Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A view of some of the pieces of African art being stored at the Harris County Reed Road Warehouse by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis is shown Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Houston. Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A view of some of the pieces of African art being stored at the Harris County Reed Road Warehouse by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis is shown Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Houston. Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A view of some of the pieces of African art being stored at the Harris County Reed Road Warehouse by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis is shown Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Houston. Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer An African art collection might finally find a new buyer now that an auction date has been set, again. In April, officials halted a sheriffs sale after the collection's owner, Sam Njunuri, filed for bankruptcy. Njunuri filed bankruptcy under Chapter 13 of the United States Bankruptcy Code on April 4 the same day as the auction. Officials have scheduled the new sheriffs sale for July 25. The collection consists of more than 1,000 sculptures, tapestries and other pieces curated by Njunuri over time. The Chronicle previously reported that in 2022, District Judge Rabeea Sultan Collier ordered Njunuri to pay nearly $1 million to Darlene Jarrett and Sylvia Jones after a 2021 jury verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A BUYER'S MARKET: Sale of African art collection halted as owner files for bankruptcy Back in October, Judge Collier signed an order identifying Njunuri's art collection as assets and slated a sheriff's sale of the pieces at 6464 Savoy Drive in Houston. The case dates back to 2015 when Jarrett and Jones entered into a lease agreement with Njunuri to rent a home in the 1700 block of Cleeves Drive in Richmond. Jarrett and Jones said they moved furniture and personal items to Njunuri's property at the end of July ahead of the "lease commencement" that began on Aug. 15, 2015. But, after returning from a trip to Arkansas around Aug. 15, Jarrett and Jones found their belongings had been either sold or taken, plus the locks on the rental had been changed. The incident led both women to sue Njunuri in 2017, saying they couldn't "recover their property and as such have lost both tangible property and irreplaceable household heirlooms." CONTESTABLE COLLECTION: African art collection once at center of Harris County controversy to be sold to highest bidder Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prospective bidders must have cash or certified check funds to cover the full amount of their bid to win the auction. Those paying with a cashiers check must address it to the Harris County Constable. We have had people tell us that it may be difficult for those coming from out of town to get a certified check, in advance of the sale date, for the full amount of what they might bid at the constable sale, officials with Harris County Constable Precinct 5 said in a statement. We acknowledge and understand the issue and we have spoken with the Constables office about their protocols for the African Art auction. In 2021, criminal investigators uncovered that Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis transported and stored the artworks at a warehouse in Sunnyside at taxpayer expense. However, a grand jury opted not to indict Ellis. The auction will take place at 10 a.m. at 6464 Savoy Drive. Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Kamala Harris at a peace summit in Switzerland in June. The pair have met on six occasions. Photograph: Alessandro Della Valle/AFP/Getty Images Ukraine will continue to reach out to Republicans and Democrats and avoid being sucked into US internal politics and a bruising probable contest between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, officials in Kyiv have indicated. Its president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, paid a warm tribute to the departing Joe Biden on Sunday, thanking him for his unwavering support. He praised the US presidents bold steps taken in response to challenging times and Russias 2022 invasion. He supported our country during the most dramatic moment in history, assisted us in preventing Putin from occupying our country, and has continued to support us throughout this terrible war, Zelenskiy wrote on social media. He said he sincerely hoped Americas continued strong leadership will prevent Russian evil from succeeding or making its aggression pay off. Zelenskiys administration has taken pains to pursue an even-handed approach to unpredictable and fast-moving events in Washington. Its top priority is to avoid being dragged into a US domestic political row, which could ultimately weaken its fight against Moscow. Our official position is clear. We are looking for bipartisan support, one source said on Monday, declining to answer what Harris as presidential candidate or potential future president could mean for Ukraine. The result of Novembers US election would not change Ukraines international priorities, they added. The main one is an end to the war not with freezing of current battlefield lines but with a just settlement. This could only happen with strong US leadership and backing, they said. Additionally, Kyiv wants favourable decisions that would allow it to degrade Russian capabilities. The Biden administration has refused to allow long-range US weapons to strike targets inside Russia such as military airfields. These are being used to launch cruise missile strikes at Ukrainian cities; a childrens hospital was hit this month in Kyiv. Zelenskiy has repeatedly called for these US red lines to be lifted, most recently in London where he met Keir Starmer and addressed the cabinet. It is unclear if a future President Harris would be more sympathetic to Ukraines argument. Its military is already conducting regular strikes within Russia using long-range kamikaze drones. Related: Joe Biden has been a foreign policy president, but Kamala Harris is no novice In April the Washington Post said Harris raised these attacks during a private meeting with Zelenskiy at the Munich Security Conference. She reportedly urged him to stop blowing up Russian oil refineries, arguing that this tactic drove up global oil prices and invited Kremlin escalation. The request irritated Zelenskiy and his top aides, the Post suggested. Harris has met Zelenskiy on five other occasions. Their last encounter took place in June at a peace summit organised by Ukraine in Switzerland, where she deputised for Biden. Their talks have been friendly and, it is understood, relatively brief. They also met in Munich in February 2022, a momentous period just before Russian tanks rolled across Ukraines international borders. As vice-president, Harris has been forthright in her support for Kyiv. During the 2020 election campaign she condemned Russias illegal occupation of Crimea, calling it a flagrant violation of post-1945 international norms. She opposed the six-month delay by congressional Republicans to a $61bn Ukraine security package. And she described Kremlin attacks on Ukrainian civilians as crimes against humanity. Despite frustrations over targeting, and the slow pace of arms deliveries, Kyivs relations with the Biden White House have been warm. At the same time Ukraines leadership has made pragmatic overtures to the Republicans. Speaking in April, the foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, told how Ukrainian deputies had wooed Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, by inviting him to a prayer breakfast. I dont know whats going to happen tomorrow, or how political elites in the US will behave, Kuleba said. What we learned from the first tenure of Donald Trump as president is there is always a way out of any crisis. Weve been so many things since 2014 [when the war with Russia began] that, without exaggeration, we are ready for anything. Trump has famously boasted he will settle the Russo-Ukrainian war in a day. It is widely assumed that if he wins this autumns US presidential election Trump will cut off aid military and economic to Kyiv. Ukrainian officials think this is a misreading of the situation. They say Trump is unpredictable and add that nobody quite knows what his Ukraine policy will be, if he wins. In 2019 the then President Trump rang Zelenskiy and urged him to dig up dirt on Bidens son Hunter. The phone call lead to Trumps impeachment. Last week, on Friday, the two men spoke again after Trump formally accepted the Republican partys nomination for president. Writing on Truth Social, Trump talked of Zelenskiy in glowing terms and said they had a very good phone call. It lasted about 20 minutes, it is understood. Zelenskiy began by asking Trump about the shocking assassination attempt against him in Pennsylvania the previous weekend. I wished him [Trump] strength and absolute safety in the future, Zelenskiy posted afterwards on X. He confirmed they had agreed to meet in person to discuss a fair and truly lasting peace. The 59-year-old Harris was endorsed by US president Joe Biden on Sunday, 21 July, after he stepped aside amid widespread concerns about the viability of his candidacy. Photograph: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Were interested to hear how American voters feel about Kamala Harris trying to win the Democratic nomination for the 2024 US presidential election, and Joe Bidens endorsement of his vice president since he dropped out of the race. I am honored to have the presidents endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination, Harris said. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic party and unite our nation to defeat Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. All 50 state Democratic party chairs have endorsed Harris to be the partys new presidential nominee to run against Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump, but she will need to secure the votes of 1,986 delegates when the Democratic National Convention meets in Chicago on 17 August to secure the official nomination. Tell us how you feel about the prospect of Harris running against Trump in the November election, whether you support her presidential bid or not. Callout Abdul Latif, who was shot in the back by a sniper, re-learns to walk - Ed Ram Hundreds of children have suffered bullet wounds while fleeing Sudan in a clear sign that war crimes are being committed in the countrys civil war. Some 24 per cent of the nearly 2,600 people treated for gunshot wounds after arriving at a major field hospital over the border in Chad were children under five, the French medical NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said. Abdul Latif, a nine-year-old boy who arrived at the hospital in the border town of Adre, had been shot in the back by a sniper while playing with his friends before school in Geneina, the capital of Sudans West Darfur state. The sniper fired a single bullet, hitting his spinal cord and leaving him paralysed from the waist down. He was hit by gunfire, and then his father had to carry him across the border by foot, said Tom Shelton, from Humanity & Inclusion (HI). Sudan is being ripped apart by a savage war that broke out in April last year, when simmering tensions between the countrys armed forces and a notorious paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), erupted into open fighting in the capital Khartoum. Abdul Latif was playing with friends when he was hit by a single bullet, which struck his spinal cord - NGO Humanity & Inclusion Chad has borne the brunt of the influx in refugees, in what the UNHCR has called the largest internally displaced population ever reported. The conflict has forced over 600,000 refugees to flee into the landlocked country, with more than 115,000 people making the arduous journey across the border this year alone. Mr Shelton told The Telegraph he was struck by the sheer number of young children who had suffered bullet wounds. Most of the people that I spoke to had experienced some kind of indiscriminate attacks on the places they were living so many people are walking around on crutches, he said. The numbers of Sudanese refugees arriving with severe injuries, such as those caused by gunshots, is placing a heavy burden on the field hospital, which lacks the resources to meet the needs of all the arrivals. Some of them have these huge external surgical fixators on their legs to hold the bone in place theyre sleeping in a really small, hot shelter with poor hygiene and open wounds the harsh reality is that the specific needs of these people are simply not being met, said Mr Shelton. Children's graves in a makeshift cemetery on the outskirts of an informal refugee camp in Adre, Chad - Ed Ram Humanity & Inclusion (HI) has been giving Abdul Latif rehabilitation sessions for months. It was very sad, because honestly, it was very unclear whether he would walk again, Mr Shelton said. Hes now living in an environment where he cant really use a wheelchair. Nothing is easily usable for him. HI operates in Adre at the MSF France hospital, and in the Metche, Aboutengue and Farchana camps, where they have a team of physiotherapists to treat both inpatients and those already discharged with rehabilitation needs, including those with limb fractures, amputations and burns. When he arrived in eastern Chad last October, Mr Shelton said that he was surprised when he was met with NGOs who simply didnt have time to deal with the patients in desperate need of rehabilitation. They said: This is a massive emergency. Were overwhelmed. We cant deal with these people with these specific needs that they have. We have to deal with it later, said Mr Shelton. The number of Sudanese refugees arriving with severe injuries places a heavy burden on the field hospital - Ed Ram A recent UN humanitarian appeal for the country received just 16 per cent of the humanitarian funds required. Theres political will, but a lot of that is linked to media coverage and sustained communication, said Mr Shelton. Sudan is not getting nearly enough of the attention it needs its a tragedy. The plight of Sudanese children is continuing to spiral. Antony Spalton, chief of Unicef Sudans Darfur field office, said that he is particularly concerned about the children trapped in the deepening crisis in the city of El Fasher, Darfurs capital, that has now reached boiling point. Home to 1.8 million people, if El Fasher falls to the RSF the successors to the notorious Janjaweed militias responsible for the Darfur genocide in the 2000s a massacre may become inevitable. Killing and maiming children in conflict is one of the six grave violations condemned by the United Nations. Others include the use of children in armed groups, rape or other grave sexual violence, abduction and the denial of humanitarian access for children. The field hospital lacks the resources to meet the needs of all the arrivals - Ed Ram Were talking about 750,000 children in El Fasher who are on the front line weve probably seen all of the six violations against children here and we are highly alarmed about it, Mr Spalton said. To put things in perspective, in 2023, we verified about 1,200 cases of killing and maiming children across Sudan, he said. Since May, we have had about 400 cases of killing and maiming of children in El Fasher alone. More than 10 million children in Sudan have been within five kilometres of the active warzone, including being close to gunfire and shelling, over the past year of the war, according to analysis by Save the Children. Mr Spalton currently based in Farchana, the Chadian border town said that they are receiving around 600 Sudanese refugees seeking safety each day, mainly those fleeing El Flasher. More recently, the arrivals have been saying theyre hungry, which means that children are missing out on meals, he said. One camp said it is receiving around 600 Sudanese refugees seeking safety each day - Corentin Fohlen/MSF/Divergence One mother, Fatime Deffa Ibrahim, was forced to flee to Chad with her 10 and 12-year old daughters when the RSF raided their home in Ardamatta in Sudan. When I arrived in Adre, I couldnt find work and the food distributions werent enough to feed us, she told MSF. The RSF looted everything we had. I spend my days making these bricks. For 1,000 bricks Im paid 300 CFA francs (0.38p). Mr Spalton said that NGOs were struggling to get aid across the border to Sudan. The escalation in tensions pushed the Sudanese government in February to sever the access points along the border with Chad from six to one. With a limited availability of trucks and huge distances to transport for supplies were not able to get the volume of supplies we need, said Mr Spalton. We have to get therapeutic food to feed the children with acute malnutrition especially ahead of the rainy season, because access is going to be even more challenging, he added. If we cant, those children will die. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security General Valery Zaluzhny was the army commander-in-chief when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 - Alexey Furman/Getty Western powers must wake up and urgently prioritise the development of new military technology or risk World War Three, the former commander of Ukraines armed forces has said. General Valery Zaluzhny, speaking in London at the Royal United Services Institutes land warfare conference, said neither Russia nor Ukraine were likely to master the technological revolution taking place on the battlefield alone. It fell to Western nations to provide the scientific research and funding for the kind of weapons that could transform the battlefield, he said. After more than two years of conflict, the rapid expansion of drone warfare and electronic countermeasures has had a profound impact on both sides tactics and strategy. Traditional battlefield weapons may soon be a thing of the past - Anadolu Gen Zaluzhny, wearing civilian clothes, did not specify what kind of weapons would be needed but said more development was needed to prevent Ukraine losing the war. Evil is here and it has come to kill, he said in his first public remarks since arriving in London. In the last century alone two conflicts, the First and Second World Wars separated by less than 20 years killed more than 60 million people. Is humanity ready to accept the next war on this scale of suffering? This time the Third World War? he asked. Free and democratic nations and their governments need to wake up and think about how to protect their citizens and countries. He added: The desire to survive on the battlefield is the main reason for the search to improve weapons. For various reasons neither Ukraine nor Russia will be able to master these technologies alone. But whoever masters them will decide the global security challenge. Who will master these technologies more quickly the democratic world or the world of tyranny will depend on us. Gen Zaluhzny warned that only by combining Ukrainian experience with Western resources could such breakthroughs be made and that time is no longer on our side. He has previously called for a focus on weapons development, predicting in an article for the Economist, before he left the army, that only new technology would allow either side to make a decisive breakthrough on the battlefield. Rise of drones The ubiquity of drones in particular has changed the nature of the war in Ukraine, making the battlefield transparent and difficult to concentrate forces in conventional ways. Gen Zaluzhny was the commander in chief of the Ukrainian armed forces when Russia invaded in February 2022. He was credited with masterminding the successful defence of Kyiv and the shock counter-offensives that drove the Russians out of Kharkiv and Kherson in the autumn of that year. But he quarrelled with president Volodymyr Zelensky after he described the war as a stalemate following the failure of the 2023 counter-offensive. Speculation grew that he harboured political ambitions in Kyiv until he was fired in February this year. West Midlands police said the woman was treated by the ambulance service at the scene but died a short time later. Photograph: Tom Bham/Alamy A woman in her 30s has been killed by her pet dog in Coventry, the fourth fatal dog attack in England and Wales this year. West Midlands police said they attended at house on Wexford Road in the city at about 12.15pm on Monday after 999 calls. The woman was treated by the ambulance service at the scene but died a short time later. The dog has been seized and its breed has yet to be confirmed, but police said they did not believe it to be a banned breed. The family of the woman have been informed and the death has been reported to the coroner for further inquiries. Ch Insp David Amos, from the local neighbourhood policing area, said: We understand that this is a distressing and tragic incident and we would like to thank the local community for their support and to our emergency services colleagues who dealt with this incident. Our thoughts remain firmly with the family and loved ones of the woman who has sadly died. Although the breed of the dog is yet to be confirmed, at this stage we do not believe it to be of a banned breed. However, a full assessment will be required before we can confirm this. West Midlands ambulance service said its first ambulance arrived at the property within six minutes of a 999 call, and found the woman in a critical condition. A spokesperson said: With help from police, the woman was rapidly removed from the property due to safety concerns. Ambulance staff performed advanced life support but tragically, despite their best efforts, nothing could be done to save the woman and she was confirmed dead on scene a short time later. No one else was injured in the incident. The death comes just over a month after seven-month-old Elle Doherty died in Coventry after being bitten by her familys pet dog. She received serious injuries to her head in the incident on 16 June, which police said involved no criminal offences. The dog was a Belgian malinois, which is not a banned breed, and was humanely destroyed. The death of the woman on Monday was the fourth fatal dog attack in the UK in 2024, after a record 16 deaths in 2023 up from six in 2022, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Many of the recent deaths have involved the American XL bully breed, which was added to the list of banned breeds in England and Wales at the start of the year. They were banned in Scotland from 1 August. Animal organisations including the RSPCA and Blue Cross have argued that banning breeds does not improve public safety, and that dog attacks have increased year-on-year despite banned breeds. The Government must get the public onboard with the mission to deliver clean power by 2030 and spell out the benefits to them, experts have urged. A report by a group led by the Royal Academy of Engineering calls for the move to decarbonise the grid by the end of the decade to be treated as a national mission, similar to the work of the vaccines task force or the switch from town gas to natural gas in a decade from the late 1960s. Labour has pledged to deliver clean power by 2030 as one of its central missions, while the previous Tory government had aimed to ensure 95% of electricity was low-carbon by that date, with full decarbonisation by 2035. The report from the independent working group warns there needs to be a sharp ramp-up of offshore wind, deployment of onshore wind and solar, and extending the life of nuclear plants where possible to meet the 2030 goal. But there will also be a role for gas, to support security of supply, the experts said, as they called for any new gas plants to be genuinely ready to capture their carbon for example being built in a location near where carbon capture and storage infrastructure will be built. The experts suggested that clean power by 2030 could see a fully zero carbon grid on about 75% of days, with a small role for gas on the remaining days. They also warned there would be a need for more clean electricity after 2030 as industry, transport and heating switched from fossil fuels to low carbon tech such as electric vehicles and heat pumps. To achieve the shift, the Government needs a radical approach, the National Engineering Policy Centre report says. More clean power will be needed after 2030 as cars and heating go electric (John Walton/PA) It must build strong public and industry support for the vision for clean power, spelling out the benefits for people. These include personal benefits, such as lower bills from signing up to an electricity tariff that lets the supplier have some flexibility on when to charge an electric vehicle, and the jobs that clean power can bring to an area. And there are societal benefits, including avoiding the worst impacts of climate change, and reducing costs to the NHS from respiratory conditions from switching away from polluting boilers and vehicles, the experts said. They called for strong central leadership, backed by the Prime Minister, and a clear strategic plan for the country to deliver the infrastructure needed, which would then filter down to regional and local areas. And the Government must tackle difficult decisions on planning, consents and the current delays to connecting new schemes to the grid, they warned, such as local opposition to overhead power lines or the higher costs on bills from putting them underground. There also needs to be a digitally-enabled system, which will let the public engage with their power suppliers and save them money, for example through the different tariffs, and a proactive approach to procurement and regulation to make sure the UK can get ahead in the global race for clean tech. And they must keep a long-term view in mind so that the focus on 2030 does not mean any delays to the best options post-2030. Dr Simon Harrison, co-chair of the independent working group, and group head of strategy at Mott MacDonald, said: The scale of work required to decarbonise the electricity system in such a short period of time cannot be underestimated. But the precedent set by the rapid delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine shows that the collective pursuit of a national mission can put a seemingly impossible target within reach. A radical shift in our approach will be needed, but the engineering community has already come together to map that out in this report, and it is ready to roll up its sleeves to deliver the clean energy we need. And he said the Government needed to articulate a strong vision for clean energy focusing on the things that really matter to people. They need to really engage people with this vision and seek to get society on board, understand their views, and help them to embrace the coming changes. The vision can be one of a clean, resilient, largely electrified energy system tailored to individuals needs through digital enablement, both creating and supporting opportunities for economic growth and employment throughout Great Britain and contributing to healthier lives and planet through pollution reduction, he said. The experts said they drew inspiration from the success of the vaccine task forces roll out of the Covid jab. But asked if there had been a comparable shift in national infrastructure in the UK in the past, Professor Nilay Shah, from Imperial College London, also said: The transition from town gas to natural gas is a good example where every single house was touched in some way. And a huge amount of infrastructure was delivered which was literally end-to-end from fields in the North Sea which, interestingly, were planned in a strategic, spatial way. They actually acknowledged the one thing they didnt want to do was a Victorian railway system where every developer who had a licence did their own thing, he said. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: We are taking immediate action implementing our long-term plan to make Britain a clean energy superpower. This is the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers permanently, which is why we will double onshore wind, treble solar and quadruple offshore wind by 2030. We will also maintain a strategic reserve of gas power stations to guarantee security of supply. Rob Delaney: There is money in the UK and we should have a Robin Hood tax Actor and comedian Rob Delaney has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to be more bold in her approach to Robin Hood-style taxes on the rich saying people in the UK are not morons. Delaney, 47, was speaking to the Big Issue magazine when he called on the Government to make changes to the way wealth is distributed in Britain. He said: The amount of money in this country is outrageous, the sheer square footage of empty flats owned by people who dont live in this country come on now. So when I hear Rachel Reeves say, there isnt any money, were not morons. There is money. Take it. Mint it. Make it happen. Im not interested in equivocating or managing expectations. So say whatever you want, but make changes. Delaney rose to fame in 2009 when he began posting his jokes on Twitter, in 2011 he began working in television and featured in a number of US shows, before moving to the UK in 2014, where he has appeared on panel shows such as Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie To You? and Room 101. He has also featured in a number of films including Deadpool 2, Argylle, and Tom and Jerry, and will also feature in the forthcoming movie, Deadpool and Wolverine. Born in Boston, in the US, Delaney went on to say that despite his demands, he welcomed Sir Keir Starmers premiership. Rob Delaney will appear in the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine film (David Mirzoeff/PA) He said: It does feel a little bit different. Anything that gives people a little beacon of hope is always positive. I wasnt telling people to go vote Labour this time, for a variety of reasons, but Im entirely prepared to give Starmer and company at least a 20-minute grace period. The comedian said losing his two-year-old son, Henry, to brain cancer in 2018 had given him a different outlook on politics and wealth. Delaney added: I wouldnt overstate my competence or my grasp on politics, but where I might offer a little useful perspective is that I went from a lower tax bracket to a higher tax bracket at the same time my son Henrys health was failing, and then he was dying, and then he was dead. So I started making more money and finding new opportunities to become a class traitor but, at the same time, I was finding out the limits of what money can do. Money can solve a lot of problems. Its great. It should be handed out Robin Hood-style to poor people all day long. When I was learning about what it can and cant do surrounding my sons illness, I was also seeing nursing staff who have to take three buses to get to work because they cant afford to live anywhere near the hospital. And that was very educational for me. Delaney will feature in this weeks edition of the Big Issue. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay has become the first person to formally enter the race to take over the leadership of the party. Mr Findlay announced he was bidding to succeed Douglas Ross, who announced he would be stepping down during the general election campaign. That campaign saw the number of Scottish Tory MPs fall to five, with Mr Ross failing to win the seat he had been contesting at Westminster. However, Mr Findlay believes under his leadership the party can win in Scotland adding that the next Holyrood elections in 2026 could be a defining moment. Announcing his leadership bid in the Scottish Daily Mail newspaper, Mr Findlay said: Im standing for the leadership of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party because I believe that we have the chance to change Scotland for the better. I hear all the time that politicians are all the same. I think the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, under my leadership, can be different. If we offer people a vision of how our Conservative policies can change their lives for the better, we can win in Scotland. Thats the common question posed to us will you ever be a party of government in Scotland? I believe we can one day but only if we work hard, pull together and earn the trust of the public. Looking ahead to the 2026 Holyrood elections, Mr Findlay said they would be a defining moment which sets Scotland on a new course. With support for the SNP declining after the partys 17 years in power in Edinburgh, the Tory MSP said: The overthrow of the old SNP order will be a time of opportunity for the Scottish Conservatives and will offer the potential to overturn the stifling left-wing consensus which has dominated within that dreary parliament for far too long. Change is coming in Scotland. I want us to lead it and to do so as proud and passionate Conservatives. In other news I've decided to stand for leader of the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party. Change is coming in Scotland and I want us to lead it, as proud and passionate Conservatives. More in today's Scottish Daily Mail https://t.co/1ljn4PLBWi Russell Findlay MSP (@RussellFindlay1) July 22, 2024 He insisted the Tories should not put forward some sort of Labour-lite agenda. The former journalist, who was elected to Holyrood in 2021, vowed if he is elected leader he will ensure that forward-thinking and positivity are the bedrock of our approach. His comments came as he insisted there are many people out there in Scotland who think conservative but dont currently vote Conservative. To win over voters, he says the party must offer people an aspirational conservatism, saying the Tories must be pro-opportunity and back the individual efforts of shop owners, new businesses and the risk-taking small-scale entrepreneurs who have a dream and the guts to chase it. He said the party should also be pro-worker too, adding that backing business isnt about maximising the profits of shareholders, its about generating the stable, well-paid jobs needed so that everyone can benefit from economic growth. Mr Findlay added: I believe there is wide, and as-yet untapped, support in Scotland for a conservatism that is unashamedly aspirational in its character and for encouraging a society which respects and rewards individual effort and initiative. the consultation closes this Friday (July 26) and the management board will meet soon after that (likely early next week) to outline the process/timetable, assuming there is more than one candidate. Scottish Conservatives are consulting with elected politicians and party volunteers on how the leadership contest should take place. A party spokesperson said: Following the initial meeting of the party management board, a consultation is under way with elected representatives and the voluntary party. This will allow the board to hear views throughout the party on the process for the leadership contest. The management board will then meet in the coming weeks to discuss those views and further details about the contest will be outlined. The Rwanda deportation scheme cost Britain 700 million despite only four volunteers being sent to Kigali, Yvette Cooper has said, branding the policy the most shocking waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen. The Home Secretary accused the previous Conservative government of creating an asylum Hotel California, where people arrived in the system but never left. In a statement to MPs on Monday, Ms Cooper claimed that the Tories had planned to spend more than 10 billion over six years on the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP). And she warned that high levels of small boat journeys in the English Channel are likely to persist over the summer, blaming weak border control she said Labour had inherited from the previous administration. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed his administration is axing the scheme, which he and the Home Secretary have said is a gimmick but the Tories insist served to deter crossings. Two-and-a-half years after the previous government launched it, I can report (the Migration and Economic Development Partnership) has already cost the British taxpayer 700 million in order to send just four volunteers, Ms Cooper said. Over the six years of the (MEDP) forecast, the previous government had planned to spend over 10 billion of taxpayers money on the scheme. They did not tell Parliament that. Those costs include 290 million paid to Rwanda, chartering flights that never took off and detaining hundreds of people and then releasing them, she said. Ms Cooper warned that co-operation with European police forces was too limited and more needed to be done to tackle people-smuggling upstream long before the boats reached the French coast. Im extremely concerned that high levels of dangerous crossings we have inherited are likely to persist through the summer, she said. The Home Secretary raised concerns over legal contradictions in the Illegal Migration Act and said no decision could be taken on an individuals case if they arrived in the UK after March 2023 and met key conditions in the legislation. It is the most extraordinary policy that Ive ever seen. We have inherited asylum Hotel California people arrive in the asylum system and they never leave. The previous governments policy was effectively an amnesty and that is the wrong thing to do, she told MPs. Ending the partnership would immediately save 750 million earmarked for the scheme this year, Ms Cooper said, with some of the money invested into Labours new border security command. Home Office staff are already being redeployed from the scheme to immigration enforcement and returns, she added. The minister said she is laying a statutory instrument to end the retrospective nature of the Illegal Migration Act provisions to ensure that the Home Office can immediately start clearing cases from after March 2023. Making this one simple change will save the taxpayer an estimated 7 billion over the next 10 years, Ms Cooper told the Commons. Shadow home secretary James Cleverly has accused her of using made-up numbers and accused the UK Government of showing discourtesy towards the Rwandan government. He said: The Labour Party and indeed the Home Secretary in her statement likes to talk tough on border security, but todays statement, despite all the hyperbole and the made-up numbers, is basically an admission of what we knew all along. That the Labour Party have scrapped the Rwanda partnership on ideological grounds, removed a deterrent, a deterrent, which the National Crime Agency said that we needed. And the level of discourtesy, directed towards the people and government of Rwanda is quite breathtaking. To have them read about this decision in the papers before anyone from Government had the good grace to formally notify them, I think, is an error, and no-one in this House believes for a moment that that level of discourtesy would have happened had this partnership been with a European country. It comes as Home Office figures showed nearly 1,500 migrants had arrived in the UK on small boats across the Channel in one week. Some 1,499 people made the journey in 27 boats from July 15 to 21, while the French coastguard confirmed two people died amid rescue operations off the northern French coast. The maritime prefecture also said on Sunday that a further 71 migrants were saved in the Channel, but that some travellers on the boat who were not requesting assistance were allowed to continue the journey. Ryanair has said airfares will be materially lower over the peak summer months than last year, as it reported plummeting quarterly profits. The Irish budget carrier said on Monday that lower prices over spring pushed profits down 46% to 360 million euros (303 million) for the three months to June 30. The average fare fell 15% to 42 euros (35) year on year, while passenger numbers rose 10% to 55.5 million. Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary said demand is strong but pricing remains softer than expected (Brian Lawless/PA) Chief executive Michael OLeary said: While (second-quarter) demand is strong, pricing remains softer than we expected, and we now expect (second-quarter) fares to be materially lower than last summer. The rise in passengers limited the hit to overall turnover, with revenues falling just 1% to 363 billion euros (306 billion). Passenger numbers are forecast to be up 8% overall this financial year. The figures come as the latest sign that the post-pandemic boom in pricing enjoyed by carriers is coming to an end, with other airlines also having recently warned over ticket prices. Customers are typically waiting longer than usual to book summer holidays, which is thought to be partly a result of the cost-of-living crisis. Earlier in July, Jet2 said there would only be modest price increases this summer amid a wave of later bookings to its European destinations. Lufthansa has also pointed to negative market trends, while Air France-KLM warned of a financial hit after fewer people than expected booked flights to Paris for the forthcoming Olympic Games. Ryanair added that its performance for the rest of the summer is totally dependent on close-in bookings and yields in August and September. Mr OLeary also took aim at air traffic controllers across Europe after fewer flights took off over the period. He said: In the last 10 days of June we suffered a significant deterioration in European air traffic control capacity which caused multiple flight delays and cancellations, especially on first wave morning flights. (This makes it) more urgent than ever that the new European Commission and Parliament deliver long-delayed reform of Europes hopelessly inefficient air traffic control services. A sign near a pump jack in an Odessa neighborhood in March. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer This story is published in partnership with the Examination. Some Texas lawmakers are calling for state regulators to better protect residents from the highly toxic gas hydrogen sulfide, which leaks from aging oil facilities near families and schools. Two legislators said they are looking into filing legislation, another said she would call for hearings, and still others are reaching out to regulators to follow up on the problems identified in an investigation by the Examination and the Houston Chronicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The investigation found that oil companies are releasing hydrogen sulfide into residential neighborhoods with few or no repercussions. Known as H2S, the foul-smelling gas forms underground, comes to the surface with oil production, and can leak from storage tanks. High concentrations kill people quickly, and chronic low-level exposure has been linked to neurological and other health problems. The state has a limit for H2S in the air, but regulators broadly disregard it, downplaying the health threats, the investigation found. State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, a Laredo Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said one of her priorities next session, starting in January, will be to make sure regulators are funded adequately to monitor H2S levels and to deal appropriately with violators. State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, pictured in 2022, said shes looking into legislation to reduce H2S leaks, including requiring repeat offenders to upgrade their equipment and establishing a fund for smaller operators to do so. Billy Calzada/Staff photographer The longest-serving state senator, who has passed more bills than any Texas legislator, Zaffirini said shes looking into legislation to reduce H2S leaks, including requiring repeat offenders to upgrade their equipment and establishing a fund for smaller operators to do so. Legislation may also include prohibiting the venting of H2S near population centers and directing the Department of State Health Services to study the health risks of H2S exposure. Zaffirini is also considering requiring the Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates the oil industry, to map and collect data on oil storage tanks, a common source of leaks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As a Senator whose district includes families living beside thousands of production wells, I prioritize efforts to ensure their safety and their protection from any possible hazardous concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, Zaffirini said in an emailed statement. Rep. Brooks Landgraf, Republican chair of the Environmental Regulation Committee, represents a West Texas district that includes Odessa, where investigators have found repeated H2S leaks near residents and elementary school students. As a born-and-raised Odessan who chooses to live with my family in this community, I take any reports of dangerous environmental conditions extremely seriously, Landgraf said in an emailed statement. State Rep. Brooks Landgraf said hes working closely with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which regulates air quality, and the Railroad Commission to ensure that proper procedures are being followed. Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram Landgraf said hes working closely with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which regulates air quality, and the Railroad Commission to ensure that proper procedures are being followed. He encouraged state agencies to be transparent and accountable to the people of Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In response to Landgrafs inquiries, TCEQ sent him a statement that the investigation by The Examination and the Houston Chronicle misconstrues its response to H2S problems. It said the agency takes complaints seriously, does extensive outreach to the oil and gas industry, and conducts air monitoring surveys and follow-up investigations. It added that the agency is deploying a new mobile monitoring vehicle in the Permian Basin. When violations are identified, the statement said, we use our enforcement process to ensure that corrective and preventative actions are taken, and penalties are assessed to deter future noncompliance. The agencys statement didnt address the investigations finding that violators are seldom penalized and problems continue. When the agency did issue enforcement orders to a repeat violator in Odessa, the fines were for several thousand dollars and still the company hadnt complied years later, records showed. TCEQ provided Landgrafs office with a tally of complaints it received that specifically mentioned H2S, showing 89 since 2018. The agency didnt count complaints that mentioned the smell of rotten eggs or other clear signs of H2S. The agencys complaint data often includes only vague summaries, such as oil and gas odors for H2S-related problems. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A flare burns near Vanessa and Victor Hinojos home in Odessa as their children play in the backyard in March. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer The toxic gas has been leaking for years from an oil facility in Odessa, across the street from the home of Vanessa Hinojos and her family. But of the 10 related complaints to TCEQ since 2018, only two include the name of the gas in TCEQs data. Hinojos February complaint about H2S, for example, is described as, Complainant alleges odors coming from a tank battery causing nausea. After investigators repeatedly found H2S leaking from the facility this year, TCEQ issued a notice of enforcement in May to Alan Means, owner of the operator of record, Cambrian Management. It said the company repeatedly failed to keep pollution control equipment in good working order. That could lead to fines but is pending, as is another similar enforcement action from 2023. Alan Means of Cambrian Management, which has drilled and operated hundreds of wells in the Permian Basin. the Examination TCEQ concluded its investigation after an inspectors visit in early May did not find any problems. A hydrogen sulfide monitor placed by a reporter in the Hinojos yard found H2S levels above the state limit around the same time. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Means has previously said, We treated everybody as good as we could over there and that he transferred day-to-day management of the facility to Octane Energy. Midland Mayor Lori Blong is co-founder of Octane Energy with her husband Jared. She did not respond to requests for comment, but Jared Blong said recent site visits by TCEQ have verified its production facility "is properly maintained and does not pose a danger to nearby residents. B. Kay Richter/Reporter-Telegram Lori Blong, mayor of the nearby city of Midland and co-founder of Octane Energy with her husband Jared, did not respond to requests for comment. Jared Blong said by email that recent site visits by TCEQ have verified the production facility is properly maintained and does not pose a danger to nearby residents. He said the company requested a voluntary TCEQ inspection and that the safety and well-being of our team, neighbors, and community and the prudent stewardship of the environment are top priorities. Octane Energy CEO Jared Blong, left, with well-site leader Todd Greer, and well-site leader Justin "Bull" Smith at a fracking site managed by Octane Energy in 2016 near Stanton. James Durbin Meanwhile, Hinojos said the problem continues. What are they really going to do, she asks of regulators. Wheres the action? Eye on H2S hotspots Rep. Ron Reynolds, a Missouri City Democrat, said he will file a bill next session requiring TCEQ and the Railroad Commission to do a targeted study to jointly look at toxic hotspots. Saying the agencies need to step up and do their job, Reynolds called for more air monitoring stations, more cooperation between agencies and more funding for enforcement. State Rep. Ron Reynolds, pictured in 2023 in Fort Bend County. Reynolds said the Railroad Commission should make more information available to help people living near wells to make their own decisions about what they want to be exposed to. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer The Houston Chronicle and the Examination mapped for the first time more than 54,000 wells in Texas that, according to state records, are part of oil and gas operations that have tested for high concentrations of H2S. But there were limitations because of the way the Railroad Commission collects data. Reynolds said the commission should make more information available to help people living near wells to make their own decisions about what they want to be exposed to. I have grave concerns over the oil companies blatant disregard and poisoning our communities with toxic hydrogen sulfide gas, said Reynolds, who sits on the House Environmental Regulation Committee, in an email statement. Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, a Houston Democrat on the Environmental Regulation Committee, said TCEQ should not be pardoning repeat environmental offenders at the expense of public health. State Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, left, seen with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in 2022, is, a Houston Democrat on the Environmental Regulation Committee. She said TCEQ should not be pardoning repeat environmental offenders at the expense of public health. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer In the coming days, we will work with TCEQ to address this, she said in a text message. TCEQ spokesperson Ryan Vise told The Examination the agency is constantly reviewing its processes. The agency pursues swift, fair, sensible, and responsive enforcement, used within an overall strategy for achieving timely compliance, he said. TCEQ Chair Jon Niermann at the State Capitol in Austin in June 2022. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer The agency declined an interview request with its governor-appointed chairman, Jon Niermann, and its executive director, Kelly Keel. Kelly Keel, executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, pictured in August 2004. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle The news outlets found that inspectors return to the same leaking oil tanks again and again as problems persist for years. The Railroad Commissions former statewide hydrogen sulfide coordinator has called for stronger regulations. Asked whether the commission plans to make any changes, spokesperson Patty Ramon reiterated that it closely monitors facilities, especially near schools and homes, and when inspectors find problems, they work to ensure violations are resolved immediately. The states H2S rules are in place to protect Texans and the environment, and our inspection and enforcement of the rules are extensive, Ramon said by email. Students at Noel Elementary School in Odessa leave the school at the end of the day in March. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who recently lost a primary runoff, said she is going to request hearings on the issue. A spokesperson said she plans to ask the chairs of the Environmental Regulation and Energy Resources committees to hold hearings, since they oversee TCEQ and the Railroad Commission, respectively. These legislative inquiries will also enhance transparency and oversight ensuring the public health and well-being of all Texans, said Thierry, a member of the Energy Resources Committee, in an emailed statement. State Rep. Shawn Thierry, an outgoing Houston Democrat, said she is going to request hearings on the issue. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Republican Rep. Craig Goldman, chair of the Energy Resources Committee, is currently running for Congress and did not respond to inquiries. A couple of members of Congress from Texas also raised concerns about hydrogen sulfide. The health of too many Texans continues to be endangered by multiple failures to protect them from this poison, said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat who represents Austin, in an emailed statement. Doggett said the news investigation brought the problem to his attention and he looks forward to learning more to determine next steps. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat who represents San Antonio, said the federal government and our state government in Texas both need to do a better job of regulating hydrogen sulfide exposure. U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, a Republican whose district includes Odessa, did not respond to a request for comment. Congressman Joaquin Castro listens to SAMMinistries staff during a tour of the SAMMinistries Transisional Living and Learning Center Wednesday morning. Conrgessman Castro presented the facility with over $765,000 for energy efficiency upgrades to their building. Robin Jerstad There are no federal air quality standards for H2S. Under pressure from the industry, the gas was removed from the Environmental Protection Agencys list of hazardous air pollutants decades ago, leaving regulation to the states. Legislation to add H2S to the EPA list, which would lead to pollution controls, has been introduced repeatedly by U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, a New York Democrat, without success. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups petitioned the EPA in 1999 and 2009 to put H2S on the list, and threatened to sue in 2011. An EPA spokesperson said the Sierra Club didnt provide additional information, so the agency didnt take action. Neil Carman, of the Sierra Clubs Lone Star chapter, helped lead that effort and said the EPA should have regulated H2S anyway. But because of political and industry opposition, he doesnt expect the situation to change. I wish I could be optimistic, Carman said, but my crystal ball is showing me a pretty polluted future for Texas. Sir Keir Starmer has said it would not have been an easy decision for Joe Biden to abandon his hopes of re-election to the White House. The Prime Minister said he respected a decision made in the best interests of the American people and insisted he would work with whoever won the US election in November. Mr Biden bowed out of the race in response to mounting pressure about his age and his inability to take on Republican rival Donald Trump. The US President backed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democrat nominee in his place. Sir Keir, who had talks at the White House with Mr Biden earlier this month while in Washington for the Nato summit, said: I respect that decision that he has now made. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met US President Joe Biden at the Nato summit in Washington (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency. He declined to comment on his relationship with Ms Harris, but insisted the UK would work with whoever became president. Obviously in the first instance, its for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward. It is then for the American people to decide who they want as their president. I respect President Biden's decision and I look forward to us working together during the remainder of his presidency. I know that, as he has done throughout his remarkable career, he will have made his decision based on what he believes is best for the American people. https://t.co/SCxFFtyl73 Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 21, 2024 My approach will be to respect that decision-making and to be clear that we will work with whoever the American people elect into office, as you would expect, particularly given the nature of the special relationship between our two countries, forged in difficult circumstances, endured for years, and very important to me and very important to all American presidents. Sir Keir only met Mr Biden for the first time during the Nato summit and he is not thought to have ever met Ms Harris. The 81-year-old president announced on Sunday he would not seek another term in office, saying it was in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down. In a post on his social media account, he said: My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best decision Ive made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats its time to come together and beat Trump. Lets do this. He said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024 And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as President for the remainder of my term. He said in his statement he would address the nation on the matter next week, adding: For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me. I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America cant do when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America. The decision comes after escalating pressure from Mr Bidens Democratic allies to step aside following his faltering June 27 debate. Mr Bidens term in office ends at noon on January 20 2025. Vice President Ms Harris said she was honoured to have the endorsement of Mr Biden. In a statement, she thanked the US president for his extraordinary leadership and for making a selfless and patriotic act by stepping aside. She said: I am honoured to have the presidents endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak praised Joe Bidens love for America and dedication to service. He said: Working with Joe Biden, I saw firsthand his love for America and dedication to service. Working with @JoeBiden, I saw firsthand his love for America and dedication to service. Our partnership has led to significant achievements, including AUKUS, steadfast support for Israel and joint efforts in defending our people from Houthi threats. I wish him all the best. Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 21, 2024 Our partnership has led to significant achievements, including Aukus, steadfast support for Israel and joint efforts in defending our people from Houthi threats. I wish him all the best. President Biden is a leader whom I greatly admire and serving under his presidency has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I respect the difficult decision he has made and look forward to continuing to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. I have seen pic.twitter.com/cY4Jg6e8u1 Ambassador Jane Hartley (@USAmbUK) July 22, 2024 The US ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley said: In every endeavour, President Biden has demonstrated a profound sense of duty and an unwavering commitment to the common good. His decision not to pursue another term is a selfless act that highlights his dedication to our country. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: I predicted this would happen in September 2023. Whoever they pick, Trump will win in November. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve And never was! Ukraine is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine's fight for freedom, which, along with strong bipartisan support in the United States, has been and continues to be critical. Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) July 21, 2024 He added: We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Former president Barack Obama praised Mr Biden as a patriot of the highest order, saying the US president had put American interests ahead of his own as he decided not to seek re-election. But he stopped short of endorsing Ms Harris as other senior Democrats have. He said: I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support. Starmer says Biden always put his country first after US president quits race Joe Bidens presidency will leave a legacy that extends far beyond America, Sir Keir Starmer said after the US president announced he would not seek a second term in the White House. The Prime Minister said the 81-year-olds decision to abandon his re-election campaign would not have been an easy one. Sir Keir said the US president was a man who, during five decades of service, never lost touch with the concerns of working people and always put his country first. He told MPs: His presidency will leave a legacy that extends far beyond America to freedom and security on this continent. Most of all, of course, in our steadfast resolve to stand by the people of Ukraine. He leaves the Nato alliance stronger than its been for decades. Mr Biden bowed out of the presidential race in response to mounting pressure about his age and his inability to take on Republican rival Donald Trump. The US president backed vice president Kamala Harris to be the Democrat nominee. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met Joe Biden at the Nato summit in Washington (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Sir Keir, who had talks at the White House with Mr Biden earlier this month while in Washington for the Nato summit, earlier told reporters at the Farnborough International Airshow: I respect that decision that he has now made. Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency. He declined to comment on his relationship with Ms Harris who he has never met but insisted the UK would work with whoever became president. Obviously in the first instance, its for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward. It is then for the American people to decide who they want as their president, he said. I respect President Biden's decision and I look forward to us working together during the remainder of his presidency. I know that, as he has done throughout his remarkable career, he will have made his decision based on what he believes is best for the American people. https://t.co/SCxFFtyl73 Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 21, 2024 My approach will be to respect that decision-making and to be clear that we will work with whoever the American people elect into office, as you would expect, particularly given the nature of the special relationship between our two countries, forged in difficult circumstances, endured for years, and very important to me and very important to all American presidents. The US president announced on Sunday he would not seek another term in office, saying it was in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down. He said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024 And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as president for the remainder of my term, he said. The decision comes after escalating pressure from Mr Bidens Democratic allies to step aside following his faltering June 27 debate. Mr Bidens term in office ends at noon on January 20 2025. Vice president Ms Harris said she was honoured to have the endorsement of Mr Biden. In a statement, she thanked the US president for his extraordinary leadership and for making a selfless and patriotic act by stepping aside. She said: I am honoured to have the presidents endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak praised Mr Bidens love for America and dedication to service. Working with @JoeBiden, I saw firsthand his love for America and dedication to service. Our partnership has led to significant achievements, including AUKUS, steadfast support for Israel and joint efforts in defending our people from Houthi threats. I wish him all the best. Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 21, 2024 Mr Sunak said: Our partnership has led to significant achievements, including Aukus, steadfast support for Israel and joint efforts in defending our people from Houthi threats. I wish him all the best. President Biden is a leader whom I greatly admire and serving under his presidency has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I respect the difficult decision he has made and look forward to continuing to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. I have seen pic.twitter.com/cY4Jg6e8u1 Ambassador Jane Hartley (@USAmbUK) July 22, 2024 The US ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley said: In every endeavour, President Biden has demonstrated a profound sense of duty and an unwavering commitment to the common good. His decision not to pursue another term is a selfless act that highlights his dedication to our country. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: I predicted this would happen in September 2023. Whoever they pick, Trump will win in November. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve And never was! Ukraine is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine's fight for freedom, which, along with strong bipartisan support in the United States, has been and continues to be critical. Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) July 21, 2024 He added: We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Former president Barack Obama praised Mr Biden as a patriot of the highest order, saying the US president had put American interests ahead of his own as he decided not to seek re-election. But he stopped short of endorsing Ms Harris as other senior Democrats have. He said: I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support. The Government has announced more than 20 national space projects worth 33 million. All of the projects are from the UK Space Agencys National Space Innovation Programme, and eight will receive 24 million of the total amount. These include funding for a sub-orbital rocket test by Glasgow-based HyImpulse from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, and support for Rolls-Royce in Derby to develop micro reactors to support space exploration. One project involves backing for Cambridge University spin-out SuperSharp to develop and launch a heat-detecting telescope to gather data to help tackle the climate crisis. Announcing the funding on the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, Science Secretary Peter Kyle said: From combatting climate change to staying connected with loved ones, space technologies play an important role in many aspects of our day to day lives. But backing the growth of UK space companies is also essential for driving economic growth, boosting productivity, and creating wealth in every community. Our 33 million investment in these projects highlights the huge potential of the UKs space industry, especially as we collaborate with international partners. .@Cambridge_Unis SuperSharp will develop and launch a heat-detecting telescope to gather climate data. Hear from Project Manager, Irina Petrescu pic.twitter.com/ocxwNa8Zml UK Space Agency (@spacegovuk) July 22, 2024 Other programmes that will receive funding include Lunasa in Harwell, Oxfordshire, to build and test technology to help satellites safely dock with one another. Also in Harwell, Orbit Fab will be funded to develop a solution for satellite refuelling, and Wayland Additive in Huddersfield will be helped to develop an electronic propulsion system. An additional 15 so-called kick-starter projects will receive 9 million between them. These will support technologies and applications that are in an earlier stage of development. We're awarding 33m to more than 20 UK projects at the forefront of space innovation. The projects come from the National Space Innovation Programme designed to invest in high-potential technologies and drive innovation and growth across the UK. https://t.co/hWAMd603W3 pic.twitter.com/BiuREU5xMm UK Space Agency (@spacegovuk) July 22, 2024 UK Space Agency chief executive Dr Paul Bate said: These new projects will help kick-start growth, create more high-quality jobs, protect our planet and preserve the space environment for future generations. They go to the heart of what we want to achieve as a national space agency that supports cutting-edge innovation, spreads opportunity across the UK and delivers the benefits of space back to citizens on Earth. More than two thirds of secondary school parents believe the cost of school uniform is not affordable, a survey has suggested. About half of parents of secondary school pupils said they have to buy at least three school logo branded items for their child, according to research for the Childrens Society charity. The Government set out plans in the Kings Speech last week to introduce legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kits that a school can require to bring down costs for parents. A poll, of 2,000 parents of school age children across the UK, found that 56% felt the cost of uniform is not affordable and the figure was even higher among parents of secondary pupils (67%). Statutory government guidance, which came into effect in autumn 2022, already tells state schools in England to keep branded uniform items to a minimum and to limit their use to low-cost or long-lasting items. But the survey, carried out by Censuswide in June, suggests 63% of parents said their school has not changed its uniform policy in the past two years. One parent said: Luckily, this year, I only have one set of school uniform to buy, but all the compulsory kit: blazer, skirt, tie, new PE kit, and multiple shirts, totals 149.20. That doesnt even begin to include school shoes, a new school bag, and lets not start on stationery. Five years ago, I would have had to buy all of that times-four when all four children were in school. I dont know how I would afford all that nowadays. Mark Russell, chief executive at the Childrens Society, said: For the last two years the high cost of living has put families under intense financial strain, so it is no wonder parents are feeling the pinch and are quite rightly fed up with having to pay more than they need to for their childrens school uniform. He added: We also welcome the Governments new proposals to limit branded items and tighten up the legislation on uniform as we can see from our poll that there is much more to do on this, with many families still having to fork out hundreds of pounds each year. We believe school uniform can have real benefits for children and, if any parents are struggling with the affordability of uniforms, we urge them to contact their school and the school governors. Pepe DiIasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: Schools are acutely aware of the need to keep the costs of school uniforms as low as possible. Teachers and leaders witness the impact of poverty every day and many schools help discreetly provide items of clothing to families that are unable to afford the cost. All schools have to follow statutory guidance which states that the use of branded items should be kept to a minimum. The new Governments proposal to introduce a fixed limit seems to us to strike a sensible balance between affordability and the sense of identity that having a uniform provides. James Bowen, assistant general secretary at school leaders union the NAHT, said: Schools work extremely hard to ensure that their uniform is affordable and have schemes to support families who may be struggling with the cost. These schemes include offering parents access to good-quality, second-hand uniforms. Many schools also already have the option of non-branded items as part of their uniform requirements. Most schools will feel fairly comfortable with the restriction on branded items, but it will be important that the Government engages on the finer detail, simply to avoid any unintended consequences. Last month, a schoolwear industry boss suggested Labours plan to introduce further restrictions on the number of branded items of school uniform and PE kit would cost parents more. Matthew Easter, chairman of the Schoolwear Association, told the PA news agency that plans for capping branded items of uniform could create inequality in school and drive up costs as young people put pressure on their parents to buy alternative clothing from brands such as Nike or Adidas. In response to the Childrens Society survey, Mr Easter said: Uniforms not only level the playing field by reducing visible inequalities and peer pressure but also boost productivity and improve academic performance and behaviour. Instead of imposing more restrictions, which could inadvertently increase costs and reduce the quality and availability of uniforms, the Government should focus on removing VAT on school uniforms and treating it like the essential item it is. A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: Too many families tell us that the cost of school uniform and PE kit is too expensive no child should be prevented from taking part in sport because of its cost. Thats why we will legislate through the Children and Wellbeing Bill to cap the number of items of branded uniform and PE kit that schools can require, helping reduce costs for parents and removing barriers to children accessing sport, so that we can break down the barriers to opportunity. A 72-year-old man shot and killed a grizzly bear in Montana in an encounter that left him seriously injured. The man, who has not been identified, was picking huckleberries alone last Thursday on Flathead National Forest lands, about 2 miles north of Columbia Falls, when an adult female grizzly charged at him and attacked, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks said Friday. Columbia Falls is a city of about 5,500 people in northwestern Montana, about 200 miles from Helena. The man shot and killed the bear with a handgun in response, but not before he received significant injuries for which he had to be hospitalized. "FWP determined it to be a surprise defensive encounter," the agency said, adding that it was working to confirm if any of the adult female's cubs were present in the area. The man's condition, meanwhile, is not yet known and the agency did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for an update on his injuries or if any cubs were located near the scene of the encounter. Bears in Montana Montana is home to both the grizzly bears and the black bears, with the former being the official animal of the state. Grizzlies are protected under both the state and federal law, while the black bears are managed as a game animal, according to Fish, Wildlife and Parks. It is legal to kill or attempt to kill a grizzly bear in self-defense, or if the bear is in the act of attacking or killing or threatening to kill people or livestock under current Montana law. What to do in a bear encounter? The park service recommends keeping the following things in mind when exploring backcountry: Be alert and aware of your surroundings and pay attention to signs. Make noise, especially in areas with limited visibility or when sound is muffled (e.g., near streams or when it is windy). Carry bear spray and know how to use it. Hike in big groups of three or more; avoid venturing into the wilderness alone. If you encounter a bear, do not run. Instead back away slowly. Immediately alert authorities if you see a bear. If you see cubs, be extra cautious. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs. 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: Man shoots, kills bear after attack in Flathead National Forest BERLIN (AP) Greenland police said they apprehended veteran environmental activist and anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson on an international arrest warrant issued by Japan. Watson, a 73-year-old Canadian-American citizen, is a former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society whose direct action tactics, including high-seas confrontations with whaling vessels, have drawn support from A-list celebrities and featured in the reality television series Whale Wars. He was arrested Sunday when his ship docked in Nuuk, Greenlands capital, a police statement said. He later appeared before a district court to look into a request to detain him pending a decision on his possible extradition to Japan, the statement said. On Monday, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation said in an emailed comment that the veteran environmentalist would be detained in Nuuk at least until Aug. 15, following the courts decision, to give the Danish justice ministry time to investigate the case and possible extradition. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison in Japan, according to the foundation. His foundation also said the Greenland court wouldnt allow Watsons release on bail as he was considered a flight risk. The foundation described more than a dozen police officers boarding the vessel and leading Watson away in handcuffs when it stopped to refuel. The foundation said the ship, along with 25 volunteer crew members, was en route to the North Pacific on a mission to intercept a new Japanese whaling ship. The arrest is believed to be related to a former Red Notice issued for Captain Watsons previous anti-whaling interventions in the Antarctic region, the foundation said in an emailed statement on Sunday. We implore the Danish government to release Captain Watson and not entertain this politically-motivated request, Locky MacLean, the foundation director, said in the statement. Interpol, the international police body based in Lyon, France, which issues Red Notices for wanted people, confirmed that a valid one was outstanding for Watson at the request of Japan. It is each member countrys decision whether to arrest an individual who is the subject of a Red Notice, which is not an international arrest warrant, the Interpol press office said. Neither the Japan Coast Guard nor Japans Foreign Ministry, which had issued the international warrant for Watson, confirmed they are negotiating Watsons handover. However, the coast guard, the primary investigative authority in Watsons case in Japan, said Monday that officials were on standby if a handover is ordered. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Japan does not have an extradition treaty with the European country and it is unknown if or when Watson would be handed over. It's not the first time his tactics brought him head-to-head with authorities. He was detained in Germany in 2012 on a Costa Rican extradition warrant but skipped bail after learning that he was also sought for extradition by Japan, which has accused him of endangering whalers lives during operations in the Antarctic Ocean. He has since lived in countries including France and the United States. Watson, who left Sea Shepherd in 2022 to set up his own organization, was also a leading member of Greenpeace, but left in 1977 amid disagreements over his aggressive tactics. According to his foundation, Watson's current ship, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was due to sail through the Northwest Passage to the North Pacific to confront a newly built Japanese factory whaling ship, a murderous enemy devoid of compassion and empathy hell bent on destroying the most intelligent self-aware sentient beings in the sea." ___ Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report from Tokyo, Japan. The U.S. Army is searching for missing soldier PFC Alejandro Espinola, 26. He is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 165 pounds and was last seen in Monrovia Canyon Park on July 19, 2024. U.S. Army investigators are asking for the public's help in searching for a soldier who did not report for duty last week from training in Southern California. According to a press release issued Sunday by officials at Fort Irwin National Training Center in San Bernardino County, U.S. Army PFC Alejandro Espinola of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) failed to report for duty on Thursday. Officials said he was last seen on Friday at Monrovia Canyon Park outside of Los Angeles, about 140 miles southwest of the base. "The health and safety of our soldier is our number one concern," Col. Kevin T. Black, commander of the 11th ACR said in the release. The chain of command is actively communicating with PFC Espinolas family to keep them informed of ongoing search efforts. 'Mind-boggling': Woman shoots baby in leg over $100 drug debt, police say The U.S. Army is searching for missing soldier PFC Alejandro Espinola, 26. He is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 165 pounds and was last seen in Monrovia Canyon Park on July 19, 2024. Army officials described Espinola as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and about 165 pounds. According to an updated press release issued Monday, he may be driving a 2018 black Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback with the California license plate 8BTS191. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division or the Fort Irwin Resident Unit. 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: Alejandro Espinola: Missing soldier did not report to Fort Irwin base By Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, building Democratic backing for her sudden presidential run, rallied supporters on Monday with a debut campaign speech vowing to go after Republican nominee Donald Trump like the courtroom prosecutor she once was. "I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain," Harris told campaign workers 28 hours after President Joe Biden, 81, abandoned the 2024 White House race and endorsed her. "So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump's type. In this campaign, I will proudly, I will proudly put my record against his," said Harris, who was attorney general of California and a U.S. senator before serving as Biden's vice president. Trump is due to be sentenced in September after having been found guilty of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments to a porn star. He also faces criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn Biden's 2020 victory. He falsely claims he lost in 2020 because of election fraud. Biden, who pulled out of the race on Sunday amid questions about his age and health, called into Harris' campaign event. Recovering from COVID-19 at his home in Delaware, he sounded hoarse but appreciative of his vice president. Biden said he thought he had made the right decision by dropping out. The oldest person ever to occupy the Oval Office, Biden said on Sunday he would remain in the presidency until his term ends on Jan. 20, 2025. Harris, 59, outlined a series of policies she promised to pursue including signing laws to protect abortion rights and ban assault rifles and said she would make rebuilding the middle class the focus of her presidency. Within minutes of receiving Biden's backing on Sunday, Harris began consolidating Democratic support for her presidential bid, securing commitments from hundreds of convention delegates, announcing a massive fundraising haul and earning endorsements from top party figures. These included former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has remained influential since stepping down as the party's House of Representatives leader in 2022. The AFL-CIO labor union federation, which represents 12.5 million workers, said on Monday it had also endorsed Harris for president. The Harris campaign aims to secure commitments from a majority of the nearly 4,000 Democratic delegates to next month's Democratic Party convention by Wednesday evening, sources told Reuters, effectively wrapping up the nomination. Campaign officials and allies have made hundreds of calls urging delegates to nominate Harris for president in the Nov. 5 election. Harris' campaign said it raised $81 million in the 24 hours following Biden's exit, the most for a single day in the 2024 campaign for either party. Virtually all of the prominent Democrats who had been seen as potential challengers to Harris have declared support for her, including Governors Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California and Andy Beshear of Kentucky. Whitmer, in a post on X, on Monday said she would serve as co-chair of Harris' campaign. Biden's departure was the latest shock to a White House race that included his disastrous June 27 debate performance against former President Trump and the July 13 near-assassination of Trump by a gunman during a campaign stop. Harris lauded Biden for his service to the country. At a White House event to honor college athletes earlier on Monday, she said: "Joe Biden's legacy over the last three years is unmatched in modern history." Harris will travel on Tuesday to Milwaukee, the largest city in the battleground state of Wisconsin, which last week hosted a Republican National Convention that offered a stark display of Trump's dominance over his party. NEW GENERATION Harris, who is Black and Asian American, would fashion an entirely new dynamic with Trump, 78, offering a vivid generational and cultural contrast. The Trump campaign has been preparing for her possible rise for weeks, sources told Reuters. It sent out a detailed critique of her record on immigration and other issues on Monday, accusing her of being more liberal than Biden. It alleged that Harris favored abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and decriminalizing border crossings, backed the so-called Green New Deal, supported the administration's electric vehicle mandates and encouraged "defund the police" efforts. Some of those were positions Harris adopted as an unsuccessful presidential candidate in the 2020 election when she was running on a more liberal agenda than Biden but were not ones that the administration assumed, particularly with regard to border security and law enforcement issues. Eric Holder, who was U.S. attorney general in the administration of President Barack Obama, and his law firm Covington & Burling LLP will conduct the vetting of Harris' potential running mates, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Trump, whose false claims that his 2020 loss to Biden was the result of fraud inspired the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, on Monday questioned Democrats' right to change candidates. "They stole the race from Biden after he won it in the primaries," Trump said on his Truth Social platform. At a rally for Trump's running mate, JD Vance, on Monday, Ohio state Senator George Lang called for civil war to save the country if Trump didn't win the November election. Lang later said on X that he regretted the remarks. "We should all be mindful of what is said at political events, myself included," he wrote. Harris is expected to stick largely to Biden's foreign policy playbook on such issues as China, Iran and Ukraine, but could strike a tougher tone with Israel over the Gaza war if she wins the November election. Some Democrats were concerned about the country's long history of racial and gender discrimination. The U.S. has not elected a woman president in its nearly 250-year history. Most public opinion polls conducted before Biden dropped out did not find that Harris performed better statistically against Trump than Biden had. Biden has not been seen in public since testing positive for COVID on Wednesday. He tentatively plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday if he has recovered. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Wilmington, Nandita Bose and Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, Steve Holland, Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu, Kat Stafford, Moira Warburton, Bo Erickson and Joseph Campbell; Writing by Joseph Ax; Editing by Scott Malone, Howard Goller and Leslie Adler) Its been a bad few days for Delta Air Lines passengers. Though much of the global aviation industry was disrupted by Fridays CrowdStrike outage, Delta seems to be having a uniquely difficult time recovering. According to the airline, the impact on its crew scheduling software is largely to blame. Delta and its wholly-owned regional subsidiary Endeavor Air together canceled nearly 4,500 flights between Friday and Sunday, and as of Monday morning were already posting more than 1,000 additional delays and cancellations, according to flight tracker FlightAware. Kristi Gatto, a traveler who went to school with the reporter on this story, was one of those affected. Airlines rely on complex systems: Why the CrowdStrike hiccup could cause days of chaos I get it. Things happen. This was probably the worst flying experience that Ive had, Gatto said. Her Saturday flight from Seattle to New York was canceled after Delta said it was unable to fully staff the flight, and ultimately, Gatto paid for another ticket to fly home from Vancouver on JetBlue instead. Though Delta said its working on recovering operations, its little comfort to passengers like Gatto, now separated from their luggage and out thousands of dollars in contingency expenses. Whats happening at Delta? Delta Air Lines' CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement that the carrier's ongoing headaches are largely caused by struggles with its crew scheduling system. "Upward of half of Deltas IT systems worldwide are Windows based. The CrowdStrike error required Deltas IT teams to manually repair and reboot each of the affected systems, with additional time then needed for applications to synchronize and start communicating with each other," the statement said. "Deltas crews are fully staffed and ready to serve our customers, but one of Deltas most critical systems which ensures all flights have a full crew in the right place at the right time is deeply complex and is requiring the most time and manual support to synchronize." Deltas disruptions are reminiscent of Southwest Airlines meltdown in December 2022, when winter storms threw a wrench in the carriers crew scheduling system, leading to almost 10 days of travel chaos and nearly 17,000 canceled flights. United Airlines had similar disruptions last summer when Federal Aviation Administration issues and Uniteds own staffing squeeze led to thousands of canceled flights. There is no excuse for Delta to have had this problem because they had a huge data center problem in 2017 when they lost power. They have had some other technology problems in the interim, Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research, a travel industry analytics firm, told USA TODAY. More importantly, in the past three years, they have seen American, Southwest and United get bogged down by their own technology problems. United Airlines also took a hit from knock-on effects of the CrowdStrike outage, but its operations were largely recovered by Monday. What are Delta passengers entitled to? According to the Department of Transportation, which classifies Fridays IT failures as controllable disruptions on the part of the airline, Delta is required to honor its customer commitments. Those include rebooking passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed on other services at no additional cost, as well as providing hotels and meals and ground transportation vouchers for eligible travelers. The DOT says it has received hundreds of complaints from Delta customers who did not receive those accommodations and is investigating those claims. I have made clear to Delta that we expect the airline to provide prompt refunds to consumers who choose not to be rebooked, and free rebooking and timely reimbursements for food and overnight hotel stays to consumers affected by the delays and cancellations, as well as adequate customer service assistance to all of their passengers, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent. I will ensure that our department supports Delta passengers by enforcing all applicable passenger protections. Cruising Altitude: Flight delayed or canceled? How to get ahead of it. Delta said it would reimburse customers for hotel, meal and ground transportation expenses paid out of pocket as a result of the disruptions, but not for prepaid costs like hotel reservations at the customers destination, vacation experiences, lost wages, concerts or other tickets. Travelers like Gatto, who book their own alternative flights, will be entitled to refunds for their original Delta tickets but may not be able to claim reimbursement for the new flights. Delta does commit to booking travelers on other airlines in the event of these kinds of disruptions under its customer commitments, but they may not have the same access to all available seats or departures from every airport that a self-booking traveler would. Gatto said she still plans to fight for as much compensation as she can get. I plan to really lay into them and let my inner New Yorker come out, she said. Im going to try to get them to pay for everything. Where does Delta go from here? Delta will likely continue to be all hands on deck this week to restore reliability in its operation. But once that immediate hurdle is cleared, experts say, the company will have to do some serious reflection and make some major investments as a next step. Its a competitive landscape out there for software, for this exact purpose. Maybe theyll have to take a look at doing a transition, Jon Haass, a professor of cyber intelligence and security at Arizona's Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, told USA TODAY. This might be the impetus, that might be the good news, the sliver lining that kicks the airlines into saying we have to treat this as a modern problem, lets use modern tools to resolve it and not be beholden to the old, old tools that become more complicated with every new regulation that comes out. Airlines often rely on older technology than many other industries, in part because their sprawling operations make upgrades cumbersome and also because strict regulations can make it difficult to get new systems approved. Haass said airlines tight profit margins mean shareholders often dont want to see large expenditures made on back-end systems, but this could force their directors and executives to do it anyway. As a business, theyre caught in a bind, but thats why leadership has to have the nerve to say to its shareholders and say to its people: folks, heres what were doing. Follow the flag, he said. Well see whether their CEO is a leader. The fallout from this week is also likely to tarnish Deltas premium brand image. Clearly, the CrowdStrike Microsoft problem was an extraordinary unanticipated disaster, and its not like Delta had an obligation to think what would happen if we lost all of our Microsoft-based computers, but what Delta should have been doing is looking at all of its software, Harteveldt said. For an airline that holds itself out as being premium, its embarrassing to see it take so long to recover, especially when peer airlines like American and United have been able to do a better job of recovery. He added that the next few days will be make or break for the airline. My hope is that we start to see meaningful progress from Delta within the next 48 hours. If we dont see Delta reduce the number of canceled flights by at least half in the next 24-48 hours, theres a much bigger problem brewing in Atlanta than we realized, Harteveldt said. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Passengers frustrated, stranded as Delta Air Lines systems struggle Conroe Police Chief Jeff Christy speaks during the annual police memorial in honor of Sgt. Ed Holcomb, Jr. at Heritage Park in 2021. The Conroe City Council will consider accepting the retirement of Police Chief Jeff Christy during its regular meeting Thursday. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Conroe Fire Chief Ken Kreger salutes as a flag in honor of first responders is lowered to half staff during a ceremony at the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2021. The Conroe City Council will consider accepting the retirement of Fire Chief Ken Kreger during its regular meeting Thursday. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer A wave of retirements and a resignation will shuffle top positions at several departments in the city of Conroe. The Conroe City Council will consider accepting the retirement of Police Chief Jeff Christy, Fire Chief Ken Kreger, Parks Director Mike Riggens and the resignation of Danielle Schneider, executive director of the Conroe Economic Development Council, during its regular meeting Thursday. City Administrator Gary Scott confirmed the city received the notices from from Christy, Kreger, Riggens and Schneider July 18. Advertisement Article continues below this ad All of the directors submitting their notices have played a significant role in guiding the city of Conroe through our fast paced tremendous growth over the years and we thank them for their service, Scott said. We appreciate their valuable insights and leadership over their years of service. The council will meet 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 300 West Davis. None of the city officials could be reached for comment. Christy was named interim police chief after former Police Chief Philip Dupuis announced his retirement on Jan. 31 to spend more time with his family. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In March that same year, Christy was sworn in as chief. Christy, who has been with the department for 33 years, started his law enforcement career with Conroe. Kreger was named fire chief in 2005, taking over for former Fire Chief Bland Ellen. Before coming to Conroe, Kreger spent 20 year with the Orange Fire Department. Scheiner was named executive director of the Conroe EDC in February 2018 after serving as deputy director for the council since January 2013. In November 2005, Riggens was named director of the city's parks department after serving as senior manager of programs in The Woodlands. President Joe Biden is the first president in more than a generation to decide not to seek a second term. But Bidens situation is unique in American politics. He had planned to run and won nearly every delegate to the Democratic National Convention next month. Questions about his age and acuity ultimately convinced him to pull out of the presidential race. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be his successor as the Democratic presidential nominee. Biden announced his decision in a letter posted to social media after weeks of fevered speculation, making him one of a handful of presidents who decided to step aside rather than seek reelection. Most recently, in 1968, Lyndon B. Johnson shocked the country when he made the surprise announcement that he would not run at the end of an Oval Office speech on his plan to limit US military operations in Vietnam. Heres part of that address: It is a remarkable speech to watch today. Nearly 60 years old when he made that speech, Johnson looked much older. He would die of a sudden heart attack in 1973 at 64, before eligibility for retirement programs like Medicare, which he signed into law, and Social Security, which he expanded. By the time he bowed out of the race, Johnson, unlike Biden, was facing multiple challenges for the Democratic nomination in the spring of 1968. Racial strife in the US, paired with a country fractured over the war in Vietnam, hurt Johnsons popularity. In early 1968, the Tet offensive in Vietnam showed Communist forces there to be must stronger than the US military had claimed, and American casualties in the war mounted. Earlier that March, Johnson only narrowly won the New Hampshire primary against the anti-war candidate Sen. Eugene McCarthy. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, the brother of the man whose assassination elevated Johnson to the White House, entered the presidential race on March 16. Health was a concern for LBJ Vietnam split the party in 1968, but the growing rift among Democrats over the war was not the only reason Johnson pulled out of the race, according to Mark Updegrove, a presidential historian and CEO of the LBJ Foundation. I talked to Updegrove in 2022 about why presidents might not run for reelection, and he told me at the time that Biden, like LBJ, should consider his health before seeking another four-year White House term. Theres the misconception that LBJ opted not to run again due solely to the growing controversy and divisions over the war in Vietnam. That may have been part of it, but his principal concern was his health, Updegrove said. He had had a nearly fatal heart attack in 1955, and his family had a history of fatal heart disease. He didnt want to put the country through the kind of crisis we had gone through with the sudden death of FDR in 1945, and Woodrow Wilsons stroke in 1919, which left him incapacitated, Updegrove added. A year of incredible uncertainty 1968 is an infamous year in US history, and Johnsons March 31 announcement kicked off a period of violence and uncertainty. Less than a week after Johnson announced his decision not to run for reelection, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot by a sniper on April 4, an event that sparked a wave of violence and riots that devastated many American cities, including Washington, DC, Baltimore and Chicago. Johnson deployed 58,000 National Guardsmen and Army troops to US cities. In June of that year, Kennedy was assassinated in California, creating even more turmoil. His son is now running for president as an independent. In 1968, Democrats ultimately sidestepped McCarthy, who channeled the anti-war sentiment. Instead, they elevated Johnsons vice president, Hubert Humphrey, as their nominee at the Democratic National Convention which, like it will be this summer, was held in Chicago that year too. As Humphrey accepted the nomination in the convention hall, riots raged in the streets outside. That November, Humphrey ran close to Richard Nixon, a Republican and the ultimate winner, but the independent candidate George Wallace, a former Democrat, won multiple Southern states with a populist and segregationist appeal. Wallace also likely siphoned votes away from Humphrey in key states. Johnson remains one of the countrys most transformative presidents Johnson capitalized on a period of unity after the death of John F. Kennedy to pass landmark civil rights legislation. He won his own landslide reelection in 1964 and used that momentum to enact a series of laws meant to build the US into a great society, including Medicare and the Voting Rights Act, and declared a war on poverty. Those civil rights achievements were not universally celebrated in the US, and they hastened a realignment of the American political parties in which his Democrats went from the dominant to the minority party in the American South. This story has been updated following President Joe Bidens decision to exit the presidential race. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com WASHINGTON Kamala Harris was at the vice presidents residence when she got the call from POTUS. President Joe Biden was ending his reelection campaign. And he was endorsing her. Harris got to work immediately. Still in her Howard University hoodie, workout sweats and sneakers, she whipped up a statement. She placed calls to lawmakers, governors, civil rights leaders and union bosses. She thanked them for their endorsements. She told them she planned to earn the Democratic presidential nomination. She prayed with her pastor, Amos Brown III, of San Francisco's Third Baptist Church, and his wife over the phone. Harris husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, was not in Washington on Sunday. Harris would ultimately make more than 100 calls over the next 10 hours, speaking to Biden multiple times as she took the reins of the flailing 2024 presidential campaign. It was her turn at the top of the ticket. And she set about making it her own. Unlike her first presidential bid, which fizzled out in less than a year, Harris was at the precipice of power. She had quit that race before the first contest was held. But now, as the sitting vice president, she was getting a second chance. In her first public remarks since Biden dropped out, Harris praised an absent Bidens legacy at the White House. "Joe Biden's legacy of accomplishments over the last three years is unmatched in modern history, she said. In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office. She honored the president by also speaking about her relationship with his son, Beau Biden, who died of cancer in 2015. She said Beau often spoke about the kind of man his father is, including his honesty, his integrity, his commitment to his faith and his family, his big heart and his love deep love of our country. I am a firsthand witness that every day our president, Joe Biden, fights for the American people, Harris said. And we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation. On Day One of her candidacy for the Democratic nomination, Harris planned a visit to Delaware on Monday afternoon to meet with members of the state's delegation in New Castle County, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper said. She also planned to visit the Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Harris wrote on X. One day down. 105 to go. Together, we're going to win this," she said. Harris must still go through the Democratic National Committee process for the nomination. The party's convention rules committee will meet to establish the procedure to elect the Democratic nominee at a meeting Wednesday. But the Democratic Party was already unifying behind her. Messages of support were streaming in. Her foremost political rivals were standing down on 2024 presidential bids. EMILYs List, the Congressional Black Caucus, Reproductive Freedom for All full state delegations to the Democratic National Convention quickly came out to support Harris. With its convention just beginning in Houston this week, the American Federation of Teachers executive council called an emergency meeting and came to a swift decision to back Harris, subject to the approval of its members. We wanted to make our intentions known as quickly as possible, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. The afternoon was a blur. Sometime in the early Sunday evening, Weingarten remembers receiving a call from Harris. She had left word with Harris staff about the unions plans. She called to tell me that she was running, and I said ... we've already taken the first step to endorse, Weingarten told USA TODAY. Chaos for Kamala Harris Bidens campaign aides insisted for weeks that he would not be dropping out. Yes, they had conducted polling on Harris, but that was normal, they said. There is no consideration about passing the baton to her, because President Biden has made his decision, deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said in an NBC interview a week before Biden called it quits. But the pressure from party leaders proved insurmountable. Former President Donald Trump had just survived a failed assassination attempt. The image of his bloodied fist in the air was instantaneously iconic. His party was rallying behind him at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump named his vice presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, a first-term lawmaker who was half his age. Former opponents Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, and Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, made last-minute appearances on the stage. It was a contrast with Biden, all right. But it was not the one that Democrats wanted. Holed up at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with COVID-19, Biden published a letter to social media. It was official. He was dropping out. The letter thanked Harris for her work in his administration. But it did not include an endorsement. He followed up in a second social media post that made it clear he was giving his vice president the keys to their reelection campaign. His announcement was shocking, although not wholly unexpected. In the weeks since the June 27 debate performance that prompted steep concerns about his cognitive ability, Democrats put a greater emphasis on the Biden-Harris campaign and the ticket including both candidates names. The first campaign ad after a pause following Trumps near-death experience? A one-minute spot on Black maternal health, one of Harris signature issues. Minutes after Biden posted his letter to social media, former Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri said no one knew Biden was going to step back on Sunday. But she said that behind the scenes, there has been a lot of work to plan for a what if scenario that Biden no longer continued in the campaign. A lot of this work has been going on behind the scenes over the past few weeks, she said in a phone interview on MSNBC. And I don't mean that anybody knew that President Biden was going to do this today. I mean that when you're this close to an election, a lot of people work Well, what if, and those what ifs have been tackled in the past few weeks, and I think there's a lot of people out there ready now to execute plans. Still, Harris herself appeared to have been caught off guard by Bidens decision. She did not have a campaign announcement prepared. How could she without it looking as if she was pulling levers behind the scenes to oust her boss? Her first public comments did not come almost two hours after Biden endorsed her nonexistent candidacy. It would be late evening before Emhoff, her husband, would release a statement. The second gentleman was in California for a pre-scheduled trip until Monday morning after a visit to Arizona on Friday, said Liza Acevedo, Emhoff's director of communications. In a statement that thanked Biden, Harris confirmed she was running. Amid the swirl of calls that immediately followed to key allies, the vice president made sure her staff was well fed. Lunch was a menu of salad and sandwiches. Pizza and salad were served for dinner. Harris treated herself to one with anchovies. She called Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford, and scores of other political allies and friends. FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris attends an infrastructure event addressing high speed internet in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building's South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 3, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY/File Photo/File Photo Harris gets a second chance Harris first presidential campaign ended in disaster. Her first two years as vice president werent planned well, either. She struggled to find her bearings on key policy issues such as migration in Latin America and saw hefty staff turnover in her office. At the time, it caused concerns among Democrats on whether Harris could step up to take over for Biden should the president step down. And while many Democratic leaders rushed to support Harris, an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released days before Bidens decision showed 22% of Democratic voters didn't think she would make a good president. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg two Democrats whose names have been thrown around as possible Democratic contenders in 2028 issued back-to-back statements of support Sunday evening. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker waited until Monday. He said he wanted to speak with party leaders first. But he ultimately endorsed Harris and pledged to work hard to get her elected. Buttigieg, a onetime Democratic presidential contender in 2020, said Sunday evening that he he would do everything to help Harris, too. "Kamala Harris is now the right person to take up the torch, defeat Donald Trump, and succeed Joe Biden as President, he wrote on X. Newsom, who had been mentioned as a possible alternative for the Democratic nominee ahead of Biden stepping aside, also backed Harris. "With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump's dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than Americas Vice President, @KamalaHarris," Newsom wrote on X. Early money is yeast Democrats who work closely with Harris were taken by surprise. After a whirlwind couple of weeks in politics, EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler had hoped to take a quick break. Mackler was on vacation with her family and out for ice cream when she saw the news come through that Biden was stepping aside. She missed a call from Harris on Sunday evening, she said. But I'm sure we'll connect soon. Harris has been actively involved with EMILYs List throughout the presidential campaign and Bidens presidency. Days after a leaked draft showed that the U.S. Supreme Court was readying a decision in Dobbs v. Jackson that would overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, Harris spoke at the organizations annual gala. She spoke again at the organizations gala in 2023 just weeks after Biden initially announced their reelection campaign last year. Mackler said that throughout the campaign, EMILYs list had been doing research on how voters respond to the vice president. We know that she is a candidate that really does energize voters, Mackler said. Democrats expect that Harris will energize women and Black voters to get off the sidelines in the election. Harris has been the leader in the administration on abortion rights, said Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO of the liberal group Reproductive Freedom for All. Shes been out there building the campaign around the Dobbs response, since Dobbs two years ago, she said. Abortion rights is a top persuasion issue, she said. And having Harris at the top of the ticket, that is going to be incredibly powerful, incredibly motivating. As the vice president logged call time, the Biden campaign told the Federal Election Commission it was becoming a vehicle for Harris. By 10:30 p.m. local time, BidenHQ, the name of the Biden campaigns social media account, transitioned to KamalaHQ. The Harris campaign team leaned into recent online memes images, videos or text that quickly spread across the internet. The campaigns header on X was switched to a chartreuse background with simple black text that said kamala hq a reference to Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter Charli XCXs new album, "BRAT." The campaign also changed the accounts bio to say Providing context, a reference to a viral video of remarks by Harris in which she is quoting her mother. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you, Harris said. Win With Black Women, an organization that aims to support Black female candidates in elections, hosted an impromptu Zoom call after Harris threw her name in the campaign. At least 44,000 people called in and more than $1.5 million was raised for Harris in just three hours, the organization said. Roughly seven hours after Harris announced she was seeking the Democratic nomination, ActBlue, the PAC that raises money for Democrats, said it raised $46.7 million from grassroots supporters. This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election, ActBlue wrote on X. Contributing: Susan Page and Sarah Wire This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inside Harris campaign: How VP is plotting steps in 2024 election JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel declared dead on Monday two more of its hostages being held in Gaza, as talks to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the release of some 120 captives there were set to resume later this week. The Israeli military said it was still investigating the deaths in captivity of the two hostages, Yagev Buchshtab, a 35-year-old sound technician and Alex Dancyg, 76, a historian, who were abducted from their homes in kibbutzim near the border with Gaza during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. An Israeli negotiation team was due on Thursday to set off to mediated Gaza ceasefire talks that would include the issue of hostages being released in return for Palestinian prisoners. "Yagev and Alex were taken alive and should have returned alive to their families and to their country," the Hostage Families Forum said in a statement. "Their death in captivity is a tragic reflection of the consequences of foot-dragging in negotiations." Dancyg also had Polish citizenship, and Poland's foreign ministry said it was saddened by his death. "Poland will continue to demand the unconditional release of all the abductees from Gaza," the ministry said. Israeli authorities have so far pronounced dead in absentia around a third of the hostages still held in Gaza. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Ari Rabinovitch, additional reporting by Alan Charlish in WarsawEditing by Gareth Jones and Christina Fincher) As the Israel-Hamas war continues, efforts to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization are ongoing, and Israeli forces have launched an assault in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Latest Developments Jul 23, 1:27 PM 16 of 36 hospitals in Gaza partially functional as displacement continues As displacement from the Israeli attack on Khan Younis continues, 16 out of 36 hospitals are partially functional, according to the United Nations Office of Geneva. Given the strike in Khan Younis yesterday, Nasser Medical Complex faces a new mass casualty influx, amid a dire lack of blood units, medical supplies and hospital beds. On Thursday, the World Health Organization provided medical supplies enough for 10,000 people to the hospital, which are being used to manage this mass casualty incident, according to the U.N. PHOTO: Displaced Palestinians leave an area in east Khan Yunis towards the west, after the Israeli army issued a new evacuation order for parts of the city, in the southern Gaza Strip, July 22, 2024. (Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images) In Khan Younis, "thousands of people" were seen fleeing westward as part of the exodus from the enclaves southern city amid ongoing hostilities, leaving children traumatized and crying uncontrollably, according to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Israel's evacuation orders have also impacted about 3.4 square miles of land in the "humanitarian zone" of Al Mawasi, which lies on the coast near Khan Younis, reducing the size of the zone by nearly 15%, according to the U.N. aid coordination office, OCHA. -ABC News' Guy Davies and Camilla Alcini Jul 23, 9:32 AM Khan Younis bombardment death toll rises to 73 Gaza health officials said Tuesday that at least 73 people have been killed -- including 24 children and 15 women -- amid the Israeli militarys raids on eastern Khan Younis, which it had designated as a humanitarian zone. The bombardment began early Monday as the Israel Defense Forces ordered people to evacuate. About 200,000 Palestinians have evacuated the area since then, according to the IDF, and still many remain behind not knowing where to go. -ABC News' Nasser Atta and Jordana Miller Jul 23, 9:31 AM Hamas, Fatah sign unity declaration in Beijing Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed a unity declaration in Beijing working to end a yearslong rift, Chinese state media said Tuesday. This is the 16th signed agreement between the rivals over the past decade. However, this agreement highlights Chinas attempt to deepen its influence in the Middle East. In a statement, Hamas described the so-called Beijing Declaration as an "additional positive step on the path to achieving Palestinian national unity," adding "its importance comes in terms of the location and the host country." Hamas leader Hossam Badran described the declaration as "an important step on the path to national unity" and highlighted the host country's role and "international weight." Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz condemned Fatah "embracing" Hamas "instead of rejecting terrorism." "In reality, this wont happen because Hamas's rule will be crushed, and Abbas will be watching Gaza from afar. Israel's security will remain solely in Israel's hands," Katz said. -ABC News' Nasser Atta Jul 22, 6:14 PM Families of hostages visit White House, urge Netanyahu to accept deal Following their 10th meeting at the White House Monday, the families of Americans being held by Hamas demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accept a deal with Hamas to free the hostages. PHOTO: Jonathan Dekel-Chen, center, father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, along with other families of hostages in Gaza, speaks with reporters following their meeting with Jake Sullivan at the White House in Washington, July 22, 2024. (Susan Walsh/AP) "There are no more major security issues to be solved on Israel's part, it is time to bring this to an end, to end the suffering of millions on the Palestinian side," Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, told reporters following the meeting. "It is time to make that decision. No more delays." Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, told reporters their assumption is that Netanyahu will thank America for its steadfast support over the last 10 months and announce that he is "ready to be doing this deal." PHOTO: Rachel Goldberg-Polin, center, the mother of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, speaks with reporters following a meeting with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House in Washington, July 22, 2024. (Susan Walsh/AP) "If this deal doesn't start, if the process doesn't start, it will be seen as a failure," she said. "We know that there are just a couple people deciding at this point. And we have optimism and hope and faith that these deciders will make the right decisions and we can start this process now." The families declined to share any details from their meeting with the White House National Security Council, which comes ahead of Netanyahu's address to Congress this week. -ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett Jul 22, 5:28 PM Netanyahu arrives in DC Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington, D.C., according to the Embassy of Israel to the USA. He is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and give an address to Congress this week. Jul 22, 5:17 PM Sen. Ben Cardin to preside over Netanyahu address to Congress: Source Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., will preside over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress on Wednesday, a source confirmed to ABC News. Cardin, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will be behind Netanyahu in the House chamber for the address. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the first in line to preside over the session, will be traveling on Wednesday and therefore not be in attendance. A separate source confirmed to ABC News that Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. -- who, as the Senate president pro tempore, is second in line for presiding -- declined to preside. -ABC News' Allison Pecorin Jul 22, 3:56 PM At least 70 killed in Khan Younis area after new evacuation order: Gaza Health Ministry At least 70 people were killed Monday in areas in eastern Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. Its not clear how many of those 70 people were in a designated humanitarian safe zone or in areas where people were forced to evacuate. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed its forces hit more than 30 terror infrastructure sites in Khan Younis on Monday. -ABC News Will Gretsky Jul 22, 3:54 PM 2 hostages 'no longer alive,' IDF says The Israel Defense Forces on Monday said two hostages, Alex Dancyg and Yagev Buchshtab, who were taken by Hamas militants, were "no longer alive." Their bodies "were being held by the Hamas terror organization," IDF said in a statement. They were determined to be dead based on intelligence gathered by Israel's Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Services and the Israel Police, the IDF said. PHOTO: People attend a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and a call for the release of hostages in Gaza, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 6, 2024. (Eloisa Lopez/Reuters) "The circumstances of their death in Hamas captivity are being examined by all the professional authorities," IDF said. There are 120 abductees still in Gaza. Of those, 46 abductees are no longer alive, according to the prime minister's office. -ABC News' Morgan Winsor Jul 22, 2:55 PM Netanyahu shares what he will discuss with Biden on US trip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will land in the U.S. on Monday, released a statement detailing what he plans to discuss with President Joe Biden. He said theyll talk about "how to advance in the critical months ahead the goals that are important for both our countries -- achieving the release of all our hostages, defeating Hamas, confronting the terror axis of Iran, and ensuring that all of Israels citizens can return safely to their homes in the north and the south." Netanyahu added, "This will be an opportunity to thank him for the things he did for Israel in the war and during his long and distinguished career in public service, as senator, vice president, and president." Jul 22, 9:29 AM Gaza death toll passes 39,000 The death toll in Gaza has risen to 39,006, with another 89,818 people hurt since the war broke out on Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. About one-third of the war victims were children, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. PHOTO: A Palestinian boy looks over as he stands on the rubble of buildings destroyed in previous Israel bombardment, on the edge of a pool of stagnant water in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 19, 2024. (Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images) Click here to read the rest of the blog. Hundreds of US flights were canceled Monday as carriers, particularly Delta Air Lines, work to recover four days after a global tech outage caused massive delays and left travelers stranded at airports around the nation. Delta is facing mounting pressure to get passengers back in the air, as it continues to rack up the majority of canceled US flights. US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has expressed frustration with the pace of Deltas recovery and its CEO has apologized to affected travelers. Over 1,000 flights into, within or out of the United States were canceled Monday, and over 9,000 were delayed, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. Delta passengers have been slammed by more than 4,400 cancellations since Friday, including more than 950 as of Monday evening, by far the most of any airline. Delta declined to comment on the numbers, but in an update to customers Sunday afternoon, CEO Ed Bas tian said the company is working to restore operations for its customers. On Monday, Bastian told employees by video message: Weve got everyone around this company working around the clock to get this operation where it needs to be, according to a news release. The airline headquartered in Atlanta said it hopes to make it right, offering SkyMiles, vouchers and the right to request a refund, among other offers. Melissa Levine and Nicole DaSilva are trying to get back to Arizona. For now, they are stranded in Atlanta. - CNN Three of those customers, Nicole DaSilva, Tiffany Denlinger and Melissa Levine were stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday, surrounded by bags and lines of weary travelers with no clear way to get home. Fresh off their vacation in Athens, Greece, the trio has been trying to get back to Arizona for two days. So far, all they have is a stack of canceled flight tickets. Denlinger has an electronic tracker in her luggage and said its bounced from concourse to concourse at the Atlanta airport. But because she cant access her suitcase, she hasnt been able to use her laptop leading to lost commissions and income. While Delta says it plans to cover hotel, meal or ground transportation for affected customers, the airlines policy says it does not compensate passengers for lost income due to canceled flights. DaSilva and Levine managed to find extended care for their dog back in Tucson only to have the air conditioning go out. Tucson is expected to hit a high of 104 degrees Monday. Now the couple is scrambling to find care for their dog somewhere out of the extreme heat. Denlinger said she believes the airline was not prepared for this situation and were just kind of the guinea pigs to something truly catastrophic. Many stranded passengers are feeling the strain from days without access to their usual resources. Melissa Vestal, a North Carolina resident, told CNN affiliate WCCO on Monday she was running out of her prescription medicines after being stuck at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for the past three days. I prepared for an extra day with my medications but then I quickly saw that theres a possibility that I was going to be here a few days, so Ive been rationing out my medicines, Vestal said. Actually, I dont have any for today, so Im hoping that we can find some luck today. Vestal told WCCO she was flying home on Delta after a trip to Alaska when the outage hit, and she was running on little sleep after waiting for hours in lines for flights over the weekend. Regardless, Vestal praised Deltas employees, calling them angels, and said she had a flight home booked for later Monday. The largest IT outage in history prompted by a software update for Microsoft devices late Thursday into the early hours of Friday impacted an estimated 8.5 million Windows devices worldwide, causing disorder at airports, outages for 911 services and challenges at health care facilities. While the CrowdStrike problem affected computers meant to check customers in for many airlines, it also disrupted Deltas crucial crew scheduling software. In particular one of our crew tracking-related tools was affected and unable to effectively process the unprecedented number of changes triggered by the system shutdown, Bastian said in the statement. It didnt help that the outage took place on what Bastian described as the busiest travel weekend of the summer, with 90% of the airlines flights booked. Heres what we know about the outage and its continued effects. Travelers in Detroit and across the nation dealt with canceled or delayed flights over the weekend, with some airline issues continuing into the week. - Joe Raedle/Getty Images Outage caused by a CrowdStrike update The company said the outage was not caused by a security incident or a cyberattack, but rather a software defect. The issue was identified and isolated, and engineers deployed an update to fix the problem, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said. Kurtz has apologized to customers and said the company is deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. In an update posted to LinkedIn late Sunday, CrowdStrike said a significant number of the 8.5 million devices were back online and operational. Overall costs from the outage could top $1 billion, Patrick Anderson, CEO of Anderson Economic Group, told CNN. Chaos and confusion for travelers On Sunday, more than 1,800 US flights were canceled and more than 9,900 delayed, according to FlightAware. Major hotels, including Marriott International and some Hiltons, were impacted both in regard to payment processing and delays to check in-processes. US-based carriers American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Allegiant Air, Sun Country and Frontier Airlines all reported issues on Friday. Delta paused all its flights Friday morning while its systems were offline, and more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights were canceled through Saturday, according to the airline. More than 1,200 Delta flights were canceled on Sunday, after the carrier canceled 1,208 flights on Saturday, according to FlightAware. Delta said it would not be allowing unaccompanied minors to travel until July 24, due to the outage. After multiple canceled flights to Washington D.C., Delta Airlines passengers Patty, left, and Alice Crump get ticketing assistance from an agent at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday. - Jessica McGowan/Getty Images Experts are urging travelers who have been forced to cancel trips to look into refund options. New federal rules say travelers deserve cash refunds when inconvenienced by their airline not vouchers or travel credits. Buttigieg spoke with Deltas Bastian on Sunday afternoon as the air carrier continues to struggle with a high number of flight cancellations, according to the department. I have made clear to Delta that we expect the airline to provide prompt refunds to consumers who choose not to be rebooked, and free rebooking and timely reimbursements for food and overnight hotel stays to consumers affected by the delays and cancellations, as well as adequate customer service assistance to all of their passengers, Buttigieg said in a statement. Other airlines largely got back on track over the weekend, including one of the worlds largest operators, Turkish Airlines, which said Saturday, The global technical issue has been resolved. All our operations have returned to normal. The same day, Jetstar Japan, Hong Kong Express and Cebu Pacific airlines said their operations are gradually being restored after disruptions due to the global tech outage. Even with the flawed computer update rolled back, its not a quick fix for airlines, which have computers at thousands of gates that will need to be individually rebooted, David Kennedy, cofounder of cybersecurity company Binary Defense, told CNN on Saturday. Its not just as simple as rebooting. Theres a lot more steps and complexities in this that are involved, Kennedy said. Theres just not enough people at those airports, at those locations to go and do it. The Monday statement from Delta notes one of its most critical systems, which ensures all flights have a full crew in the right place at the right time is deeply complex and is requiring the most time and manual support to synchronize. Amid the travel chaos, Buttigieg said earlier in a social media post Saturday he received reports of some airlines only offering flight credits to passengers for canceled flights. Let me be clear you are entitled to get your money back promptly if your flight is canceled and you dont take a rebooking, Buttigieg said. Hospitals, 911 systems and government agencies affected The widespread usage of CrowdStrikes software meant the outage penetrated numerous industries, including emergency communications, government services and health care. Large hospital systems, including Mass General Brigham in Massachusetts, Penn Medicine in Pennsylvania, Mount Sinai Health System in New York all reported Friday they were affected by the outage. Emory Healthcare in Atlanta said it had delayed procedures at ambulatory surgical centers and hospitals are delayed until our systems are stabilized. Some cancer centers, including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and New Yorks Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, also paused certain procedures and scheduled appointments. Several blood banks likewise experienced disruptions. And in a few areas, including Arizona and Alaska, 911 services were briefly disrupted before being restored. Government agencies, including Social Security offices and local Department of Motor Vehicles offices, also temporarily paused their operations due to the outage. Public transportation in Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania were affected but restored operations Friday. CNNs Chris Boyette, Dalia Faheid, Ross Levitt, Brian Fung, Sean Lyngaas, Paradise Afshar, Justin Lear, Jessie Yeung and Eva Rothenburg contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com LSU cornerback Javien Toviano turned himself in to police Sunday on charges of video voyeurism. According to an arrest warrant, the 19-year-old sophomore allegedly recorded himself having sex with a woman without her consent by using a clock with a built-in camera that was near the bed. The woman, who claims she told Toviano she didnt want to be recorded, said she found videos of the two on Tovianos iPad. The videos, according to the arrest report, were taken on July 5 and 6. Police were able to find three videos on Tovianos iPad with a search warrant. On the videos, investigators were able to identify Toviano and the woman. In response, Toviano has been suspended by LSU from all team activities in accordance with departmental policies, according to a statement released Sunday by the university. The statement added that LSU has no further comment at this time out of respect for the legal process. Louisiana law states that someone convicted of voyeurism for the first time not be fined more than $500 and be imprisoned for no more than six months Toviano was a four-star recruit rated by 247Sports Composite ranking as the No. 57 prospect nationally in the 2023 class. The Arlington, Texas, native appeared in every one of the Tigers games last season as a freshman, including three starts in the teams final five games. He finished with 33 tackles, one fumble recovery and one pass defended. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU cornerback Javien Toviano arrested on video voyeurism charges BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) LSU sophomore cornerback Javien Toviano surrendered to authorities Sunday on charges of video voyeurism, the East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's office said. Toviano, 19, of Arlington, Texas, is accused of recording himself having sex with a woman without her consent, according to an arrest warrant. The woman told detectives she found videos of the two on Tovianos iPad that were recorded through a clock with a built-in camera placed near the bed, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported. The woman told detectives that Toviano had recorded them having sex in the past without her consent and she told him she did not want to be recorded. Toviano, in an interview with detectives, admitted using a hidden camera to record the sexual encounters, the arrest warrant states. Bond information was not immediately available. It was unknown if Toviano has an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Toviano has been suspended from all team activities, in accordance with departmental policies, LSU said in a statement. We will not have further comment out of respect for the legal process, the university said. Toviano signed with LSU last year. He appeared in every game as a freshman and made three starts over the last five games. He finished his freshman season with 33 tackles and one pass breakup. LSU begins preseason practice on Aug. 1, and Toviano was expected to compete for playing time at cornerback. So simple, yet so refreshing. Getty Images I have a big confession to makeI dont like root beer. While I vibe with most other sodas, the minty, spicy flavor is just not for me. Now that I've gotten that off my chest, we can get to the larger issue I debate as a result of my disinterest in the drink: what to do about root beer floats. Im a big fan of ice cream beverages, so I know that, after adding the right soda to some plain ol vanilla ice cream, Id be hooked. I just dont want that soda to be root beer. While Ive tried a variety of great soda floatsfrom Dr. Pepper to Orange Cream to Big Red (iykyk)Ive been on the search for a favorite. That is until I stumbled upon a strong and unexpected contender: ginger ale. Let me tell you about my latest creamy soda obsession, one that will upgrade your summer drink game for the better. Introducing: the Boston Cooler. What is a Boston Cooler? Lets start by talking about what a Boston Cooler is not. Shockingly enough, the drink is not from Boston. In fact, it's not even from the Northeast. A Michigan staple, the Boston Cooler is actually believed to have originated in Detroit. It is said that Fred Sanders made the original version of the beverage in the 1800s for one of Detroits first ice cream shops. The treat turned into a staple for the city and has, as any city-claimed treat should, lots of exaggerated lore and dedicated fans. Interestingly, the drink is likely not named after the city of Boston either. There is much debate about the true origin of its name; some suggest it references Boston Boulevard in Detroit, but this might not be accurate either. The term Boston Cooler has been used to refer to a variety of different ice cream treats in the past and may not be connected to any specific location. Another thing the Boston Cooler is not? A float. Thats righttrue Boston Cooler experts will tell you that to make it properly, you should blend your soda and ice cream instead of simply pairing the two in a glass. So, pull out your vanilla ice cream, soda, and blender, and get ready to discover your new favorite frozen treat. bhofack2/Getty Images How to Make a Boston Cooler Now for what a Boston Cooler is. The drink is simply vanilla ice cream blended with ginger ale. According to this recipe, three scoops of ice cream per one can of ginger ale is the perfect ratio for a Boston Cooler. And, be sure to use a standard countertop blender rather than a personal blender to avoid any carbonated mishaps. Traditional recipes call for Vernors ginger ale (another Detroit-born product) that is said to be slightly spicier with stronger notes of caramel. Just as it is essential that the drink is blended to a milkshake-like consistency, Boston Cooler loyalists also insist on this specific type of ginger ale. While I am sure this drink is still delicious if you have to deviate from one (or both) of these two rules, you might want to refrain from calling the final product a Boston Cooler in front of a Detroit native. So, if you're like me and need a root beer-free frozen fix, or you just want to "shake" up your regular float routine, this retro recipe is just the treat to try. Read the original article on All Recipes. Editors Note: This CNN series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy. If you look out onto the Dubai skyline, youre likely to be admiring the work of Yahya Jan. He is president and design director of architecture and engineering firm NORR, which is behind some of the citys best-known landmarks, including the Atlantis and Shangri-La Hotels. Now he is working on one of his most ambitious creations. Due for completion by the end of 2024, Ciel Dubai Marina, formerly known as Ciel Tower, will have more than 1,000 rooms and suites spread over 82 floors and at around 1,200 feet (365 meters) high, it is set to become the worlds tallest hotel. A passion project For the project, Jan was tasked with designing the skyscraper on a triangular plot of land at Dubai Marina with an area of just 2,500 square meters small for a building of that height. Its a property thats very compressed, he told CNN in 2021. Its like what you would face in Manhattan or London. The constraints were tremendous, and yet we had to make it work. A new digital render shows Ciel Dubai Marina at night. - Courtesy of NORR A glass observation deck will offer 360-degree views of the city, as well as the coastline and iconic landmarks such as the Palm Jumeirah man-made island, according to the developer, The First Group. Visitors will also be able to take in the sights from a rooftop swimming pool and restaurants. As well as appealing to the senses, the project is energy efficient, using 25% less power for air conditioning than is typical for similar buildings, Jan said. This project is not just about architecture. Its about architecture and engineering coming together, he added. Thats why I love the project so much. It is my passion, the convergence of science and art. Throughout the build, Jan said he has been extremely involved in the work. When you design a project as complex as the Ciel, you can never let your guard down, you can never say its over, he said. Its a continuous process. An extended stay When Jan first arrived in Dubai in 1996, he never envisioned he would leave such a legacy, designing some of the citys most iconic office developments, residential towers and malls. He grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and moved to the US aged 18 on a scholarship. After studying structural engineering at Princeton, he got a Masters in architecture. After that, Jan worked in the US for nine years and had no intention of leaving until he received a job offer as a senior designer working on the Emirates Towers office and hotel complex. Now aged 61, he said that he never planned to stay in the UAE for so long, now having spent 28 years in Dubai. I got carried away with the excitement here, he said. As for Ciel Dubai Marina named for the French word for sky Jan hopes that it will come to be seen as timeless, like the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building in New York City. The reason I like the fact that its called Ciel is because I believe in our own lives the sky is the limit, and thats the case certainly in my own life, he said. Ive had a chance to grow, to do things that I didnt think I would get a chance to do. So its been amazing. This story has been updated to reflect the new name of Ciel Dubai Marina. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital continues expanding with a new $277 million project featuring a six-story patient tower. Submitted by Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital continues expanding with a new $277 million project featuring a six-story patient tower. The hospital will add 58 beds and 347,000 square feet of new and renovated areas to the campus by 2027 in the third expansion project for the 7-year-old hospital. Jerry Ashworth, CEO of Memorial Hermann Cypress and Katy hospitals, said the decision to expand came from growth in the Cypress area. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the end what we are trying to do is ensure that patients in the greater Cypress and Waller County community can get the level of care they need right here close to home, so theyre not having to drive into Houston to get that level of care, Ashworth said. Were increasing the capacity, size and capabilities of our hospitals and we are also ensuring that we have the clinical staff, position partners and clinical programs to meet the needs as well. The centerpiece of the project is the North Tower a six-story patient tower that can expand to eight floors. It will feature 12 inpatient rehabilitation beds, a rehabilitation gym, 40 universal beds, a new dialysis suite and the campus kitchen and cafe, according to a release. The project also will expand the hospitals emergency center, increasing beds to 40 from 27 with eight dedicated pediatric rooms and four trauma rooms and four operating rooms with space to add six more. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Also planned is an additional cardiac catheterization lab and interventional radiology suite. The Family Life Center will get a new C-section suite and six neonatal intensive care beds and the obstetrics emergency center will expand to five beds from three. A Philadelphia woman is accused of shooting a 7-month-old baby in the leg over a "$100 narcotics debt," police said. Dominique Billips, 28, was arrested Friday and formally charged with three counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment of a person and other offenses, Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum said Saturday during a news conference. "Sometimes the things we see are mind-boggling," Rosenbaum said about the shooting. "People get so angry, they always resort to nonsense. I just don't understand it." According to the lieutenant, the child is in stable condition and has since been released from the hospital. It is unclear if Billips has received a bond or hired a defense attorney. Surveillance video of shooting on July 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. A 7-month-old boy was shot in the leg. What did Dominique Billips allegedly do? The shooting occurred on July 18 around 5:52 p.m. in the Holmesburg neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, police said in a news release. When police arrived at the scene, they found evidence of gunfire but no victims, according to the release. Shortly after beginning their investigation, police learned about a baby who had been shot in the leg and taken to a hospital by a private vehicle. The child was treated for a gunshot wound to the right leg and listed in stable condition, police said. Investigators would later release surveillance video of the shooting on Friday and ask for the public's help in identifying the shooter. Police tailed Billips on Friday after being identified through tips and witness interviews. Detectives approached her before she could enter a vehicle also seen in the surveillance video, Rosenbaum said. Detectives then obtained search warrants for both of Billips' addresses and found one extended magazine, 11 live rounds and other ammunition, according to the lieutenant. She was subsequently arrested. Police believe the baby's father was the initial target and the mother "just got wrapped up into it," Rosenbaum said. 'The video is very disturbing' The surveillance video released to the public by police shows a woman approaching the baby, who is in a stroller, and his mother from behind on the day of the shooting. "The video is very disturbing," Rosenbaum said. In the footage, the armed woman can be seen chasing someone who is running away, and when she passes the mother and baby, she turns around and shoots them at point-blank range. "You see in that video, she really points the gun at the mother of the baby, whos also a juvenile, and fires. Luckily, she missed," Rosenbaum said about the video. "Obviously, thats when the baby got hit. A 7-month-old baby isnt going to remember that, but its always going to be out there. That storys always going to be out there." Before the shooting, there was an argument between the shooter and the baby's parents, according to the lieutenant. The mother left with the child, and the father was on his way to join them, but he did not know the shooter was following him, he added. Rosenbaum said the baby's parents may have fled from the scene of the shooting because they were scared they would get arrested as one of them was wanted for a non-violent crime. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Suspect arrested for Philadelphia shooting of 7-month-old baby Two people who were found dead in a vehicle parked in front of a Phoenix, Arizona steakhouse have been identified as a missing woman and the man accused of stalking her. Doris Maricela Aguilar, 25, and Juan Jose Velis Cuellar, 51, were discovered in the car located in the parking lot of the business on the evening of July 7, the Phoneix Police Department said in a news release. Witnesses told responding officers the "vehicle and the occupants appeared to be in the same position for several days," according to the police. Police determined that Cueller died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, while the Maricopa Medical Examiner has not released Aguilar's cause of death. A firearm was also found inside the vehicle. Police did not say who the gun belonged to. Pictured is a Phoenix Police Department badge. Doris Maricela Aguilar went missing on July 1 Phoenix police had been searching for Aguilar since July 1, according to a missing persons posters posted by private investigator Steve Fischer and Missing People In America. Fischer and Missing People In America said Aguilar went to the store around 8:30 p.m. on July 1 and never returned home. Police located her car, which was unlocked, on July 7 and found her purse and a wallet full of cash inside, according to Fischer and the missing persons organization. Fischer told local stations KTVK 3TV, KPHO-TV and CBS 5 that Aguilar warned her family about how she felt in danger from a stalker who wouldnt leave her alone. 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 the Arizona-based TV stations. Doris Maricela Aguilar changed gyms before disappearing The stalker worked in the same building as Aguilar, but he was fired about a year ago after she reported him for stalking and sending her obsessive and threatening messages, according to Fischer, per the TV stations. When Aguilar encountered the stalker multiple times in her gym parking lot, she switched gyms. She moved to Lifetime Fitness. And I think the last Facebook post that he made is a post saying, Getting my Lifetime membership back. See you soon, and that was on June 27," Fischer told the TV stations. "Three days later we never saw her again and we never saw him either." USA TODAY contacted Fischer on Monday but has not received a response. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Doris Maricela Aguilar: Missing woman found dead with alleged stalker President Joe Biden suspended his campaign a month before the Democratic National Convention, where party leaders would have certified his nomination as the party's presidential candidate. But with Biden's campaign suspended, what does that mean for Kansas's democratic delegation to the committee? Vice President Kamala Harris is the expected front-runner to replace President Joe Biden after he suspended his campaign on Sunday. How many Democratic delegates does Kansas have? Kansas will send 39 of the convention's 3,896 delates to the convention. Democratic bylaws calculate the formula based on the state's population and the percentage of the total Democratic vote. Do Kansas delegates have to vote for Joe Biden? Joe Biden won 84% of the vote in Kansas's Presidential Preference Primary, with the other listed candidates winning the remaining 5% and about 10% voting for none of the candidates on the ballot. But Democrats aren't held to the results of the election, with the Democrat's Delegate Selection Plan saying that delegates should vote "in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them," rather than direct primary results. "We look forward to the process of nominating the Democrat who will defeat Donald Trump in November. We remain focused on supporting Kansas Democrats up and down the ballot," the Kansas Democrats said after Biden's resignation. Democrats will be free to support a number of Democrats, but it will be a challenge to overcome Vice President Kamala Harris, who was already slated to be on the ticket and received Biden's endorsement. Kansas Democratic delegates elected on May 25 The Kansas Democratic Party on May 25 elected the final delegation to August's DNC Convention in a hybrid in-person and virtual committee meeting. There are seven at-large delegates who will represent all of Kansas, four party leaders and elected official delegates and the remaining delegates were selected by region. "Our members are diverse in age, race, gender, experiences, and geography and I could not be more pleased at the representation that Kansas will have as we re-nominate President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and re-elect them in November, said KDP Chair Jeanna Repass after delegates were selected in May. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Are Kansas Democratic delegates required to vote for Biden? WASHINGTON The House Oversight Committee's hearing with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday saw the leading members of both parties call for her resignation over her agency's failure to prevent the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The committee chair, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., and top Democrat, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, said Cheatle should step down amid lawmakers from both parties excoriating her for what she acknowledged was a "colossal failure" to prevent the assassination attempt. I don't want to add to the director's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, but I will be joining the chairman in calling for the resignation of the director, just because I think that this relationship is irretrievable at this point, and I think that the director has lost the confidence of Congress at a very urgent and tender moment in the history of the country, and we need to very quickly move beyond this, Raskin said. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, accused the Secret Service of being outsmarted by the gunman, who authorities say borrowed his fathers AR-style rifle in the attack July 13 in at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. How did a 20-year-old loner with a week's notice pick the absolute best location to assassinate President Trump when the entire Secret Service missed it? Fallon asked at a hearing of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. Director Cheatle, on your leadership, your agency got outsmarted and outmaneuvered by a 20-year-old. How can we have any confidence that you could stop trained professionals from a nefarious nation state? Those are absolutely questions that we need to have answered, Cheatle replied. Lawmakers also voiced impatience with Cheatle's vague answers and 60-day timeline for an internal review of the planning and response to the shooting. Raskin said nobody wants to lose a presidential candidate to a shooting. This is deadly serious business, Raskin said. At various points, Cheatle acknowledged that agents should have prevented the gunman from climbing the roof of a building 150 yards from Trump's lectern and firing eight shots. But she admitted that the agency still doesnt have key pieces of information, such as when the Secret Service's sniper team on a nearby rooftop got the warnings about the gunman before the shooting began. "I don't have the timeline of how the individual accessed the roof, where they accessed the roof, or how long they were on the roof," Cheatle said. Lawmakers occasionally erupted at Cheatle and accused her of withholding information from them. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., got her to acknowledge the agency's performance was a "colossal failure." Youre full of s--- today, Mace told Cheatle. Youre just being completely dishonest. Here are six takeaways from the hearing: Secret Service distinguishes between 'suspicious' behavior and a 'threat' Lawmakers described a timeline about how law enforcement officers identified a suspicious man nearly an hour before the gunfire erupted without authorities confronting the individual. Local police officers flagged the suspect with a range-finder at 5:20 p.m., radioed their concerns and sent around pictures, said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M. At 5:51 p.m. the Secret Service was notified about the suspicious person by state police. A minute later, they distributed the information. Trump took the stage at 6:03 p.m. At 6:09 p.m., rallygoers saw the suspect climbing onto the roof of the building about 150 yards from Trumps lectern. At 6:11 p.m. shots rang out. That doesnt look like suspicious behavior, that looks like threatening behavior, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Calif., said after playing a video from rallygoers of the man climbing on the roof. Thats a threat right there. The guys on the roof and everybodys yelling at him. Cheatle said the Secret Service would have never allowed Trump to take the stage if they were aware of a threat, but that the man had only been identified as suspicious. Cheatle said range-finders are common at outdoor events. She didnt have details about whether anyone confronted the shooter. The Secret Service would have paused the rally had they known there was an actual threat, Cheatle said. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, speaks during a House of Representatives Oversight Committee hearing on the security lapses that allowed an attempted assassination of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 22, 2024. Nearly one-minute delay in removing Trump from stage after shooting began Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., questioned the delay of more than a minute in removing Trump from the stage after he was shot in the ear on July 13. The shooter had several magazines of bullets and got off eight shots before he was killed by the Secret Service, Lynch said. There was considerable delay in removing the president from podium after the shooting began, Lynch said. He had the capacity and the ability if he was not neutralized to basically mow down that whole Secret Service detachment, as well as the president. Cheatle said agents threw themselves on top of Trump in under three seconds after the shooting began. Our personnel created a body bunker on top of the president, shielding him, Cheatle said. Rep Nancy Mace, R-S.C., attends a House of Representatives Oversight Committee hearing on the Secret Service and the security lapses that allowed an attempted assassination of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 22, 2024. Lawmakers voice impatience with the pace of the investigation Cheatle said the Secret Service is conducting a review of its planning and responses to the assassination attempt expected to be completed in 60 days. Lawmakers complained that wasnt fast enough with a presidential election looming and political polarization running high. There need to be answers, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said. This is not a moment of theater. We have to make policy decisions and we have to make them now. Cheatle said the agency has been conducting an analysis since the shooting and adapting its security. The agency made adjustments at the Republican National Convention last week and for officials protected in Washington, she said. The agency has also made changes for President Joe Biden no longer campaigning, Vice President Kamala Harris seeking the Democratic nomination and in anticipation of her choice of running mate, Cheatle said. I think it shows how dynamic the environment is that this agency works in every day, Cheatle said. "I want to assure you and everyone on this committee that I'm not waiting for a report to take action, Cheatle added. I assure you when the review is completed, there will be accountability. Secret Service provided all requested security at Trump rally: Cheatle Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, asked whether the Secret Service turned down requests from the Trump campaign for additional security, accusing the agency of cutting corners. Cheatle said a denial of a request for staffing doesnt equate to a vulnerability. She said threats and risks can be mitigated through personnel or technology. She wouldnt address whether previous Trump requests for staffing had been rejected, but she said none were for the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was shot. For the event in Butler, there were no requests that were denied, Cheatle said. After previous rejections, Jordan said, Maybe they got tired of asking. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks during a House of Representatives Oversight Committee hearing on the Secret Service and the security lapses that allowed an attempted assassination of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 22, 2024. Democrats focus on gun control after mass shooting Several Democrats on the Oversight and Accountability Committee called for a resumption of the assault weapons ban to protect all Americans. Congress banned the sale of the AR-15, the weapon used in the attack on Trump, and other semiautomatic firearms in 1994. But the ban lapsed in 2004 and Raskin said shooting deaths began climbing again. Last year, there were 655 mass shootings that killed 712 people and wounded nearly 2,700, he said. There have been 10 mass shootings since the attempt on Trumps life and the incident at his rally wasnt even the deadliest on that day, a mass shooting which killed four people and wounded 10 at a nightclub in Birmingham, Alabama, Raskin said. The list is a grim reminder of the horrific damage and death wrought by assault weapons, and the AR-15 in particular, that have taken the lives of our children, parents, colleagues and neighbors, Raskin said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Secret Service head Cheatle blamed for Trump shooting at House hearing WASHINGTON Embattled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced heated questioning Monday at the House Oversight Committee's hearing on the agency's missteps in the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Cheatle was repeatedly grilled throughout a hearing that lasted close to five hours as lawmakers chided her for answers they found unsatisfactory, with Republicans leading the way but Democrats joining in as well. Numerous GOP lawmakers and at least one Democratic congressman had called for Cheatle's resignation before Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the committee, joined the push Monday for the director to leave her post. Cheatle signaled she has no intention of resigning, saying she is "the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time. Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, opened the hearing by lauding the efforts of individual Secret Service agents that day. But he said he was concerned the agency lacks the "proper management" and said Cheatle should resign. Cheatle, in prepared remarks, said "we failed." She took full responsibility for security lapses that allowed Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, to open fire on the crowd with an AR-15-style rifle before being killed by a Secret Service sniper. I will move heaven and earth to ensure that an incident like July 13 does not happen again," Cheatle said. Top takeaways from hearing: Reps. Comer and Raskin ask Cheatle to resign over Trump shooting Raskin, top Democrat on committee, also wants Cheatle out Raskin's call for Cheatle to step down came toward the end of the nearly five-hour-long hearing. I don't want to add to the director's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, but I will be joining the chairman in calling for the resignation of the director,'' Raskin said, "just because I think that this relationship is irretrievable at this point, and I think that the director has lost the confidence of Congress at a very urgent and tender moment in the history of the country, and we need to very quickly move beyond this. Raskin also said that while the hearing aired lots of detail about Secret Service failures on July 13, it also underscored once again a failure on the part of Congress, because the mass shooting that took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, is replicated all over the country every day and more gun safety is needed. Was Secret Service outsmarted' by a' 20-year-old? Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, said he personally re-enacted the shooting in Texas several days later and found that he would have easily been able to shoot Trump from the same distance and angle with a similar gun, even though hes not an experienced shooter with an AR-15 rifle. Fallon also accused the Secret Service of being outsmarted by Crooks, who authorities say used his fathers rifle in the assault. How did a 20-year-old loner with a week's notice pick the absolute best location to assassinate President Trump when the entire Secret Service missed it? asked Fallon. Director Cheatle, on your leadership, your agency got outsmarted and outmaneuvered by a 20-year-old. How can we have any confidence that you could stop train professionals from a nefarious nation state? Those are absolutely questions that we need to have answered, Cheatle replied. I know the questions, Fallon retorted. But the fact of the matter is we can't have that confidence. Mace tells Cheatle she is full of s Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., known for her penchant for getting a viral soundbite, went after Cheatle and told her she was full of s, eliciting groans from the committee. Mace pressed Cheatle on news reports of her opening statement hours before the committee had the statement themselves. Cheatle responded she did not know how her statement was distributed, which drew more colorful language. The South Carolina Republican also offered to yield her five minutes of speaking time for Cheatle to draft her resignation. No, thank you, Cheatle replied. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., interjected Maces questioning and called for members to maintain decorum. Cheatle admits not knowing whether gunman stashed gun on roof in advance Cheatle admitted under questioning that she did not know whether the gunman put the AR-style rifle on the roof sometime before witnesses saw him climbing up the side of the building to the rooftop and shooting another potentially significant security failure. Was the gun already on the roof, or did the shooter carry the gun up with him? Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona asked Cheatle. I do not have that information at this time, Cheatle replied. Well, when was the last sweep of that roof done prior to the rally? Biggs asked. I do not have that information at this time, Cheatle said. After some more questions, Biggs called for an independent review of the shooting, saying he wasnt getting the answers he wanted from Cheatle. You should have come today ready to give us answers, Biggs told Cheatle. Congress should ban sale of AR-15, Raskin says Raskin said the assassination attempt revealed stunning and shocking security failures of the Secret Service and called for a resumption of the assault weapons ban to protect all Americans. Congress banned the sale of the AR-15, the weapon used in the July 13 shooting, and other semiautomatic firearms in 1994. But the ban lapsed in 2004 and Raskin said shooting deaths began climbing again. Last year there were 655 mass shootings that killed 712 people and wounded nearly 2,700, he said. There have been 10 mass shootings since the attempt on Trumps life, Raskin said, and the rally shooting wasnt even the deadliest on that day. A mass shooting killed four people and wounded 10 at a nightclub in Birmingham, Alabama. The list is a grim reminder of the horrific damage and death wrought by assault weapons and the AR-15 in particular that have taken the lives of our children, parents, colleagues and neighbors, Raskin said. Lack of answers unacceptable, Ocasio-Cortez says Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told Cheatle her 60-day goal to review planning for the rally was unacceptable with an election 100 days away and candidates under international threats. There need to be answers, Ocasio-Cortez said. This is not a moment of theater. We have to make policy decisions and we have to make them now. Cheatle said she is not waiting for a report to take action. "We have been conducting analysis all along," she said. "And we have been adding additional features to our security details" since the incident occurred. Reacting to Cheatle's answer, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., looked at Cheatle in disbelief while Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., broke into laughter. Secret Service knew of no legitimate threat before Trump took stage Cheatle said Secret Service agents would have never let Trump on stage to begin speaking if they had known of a legitimate threat to his life from a gunman at the rally. Democratic. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois told Cheatle, however, that media reports and video footage show the Secret Service, local and state authorities and even rallygoers had known of the threat at least 20 minutes before the gunman began shooting. Thats when the state police informed the Secret Service of their concern, he said, citing NBC News reporting that also said, at 5:53 p.m. the Secret Service notified its snipers about the gunman or 18 minutes before the first shot was fired. The rally wasn't paused at that point either, correct? Krishnamoorthi asked. No, Cheatle responded. DHS review: Panel to examine Secret Service handling of Trump assassination attempt 'Barney Fife could have protected Trump better,' Palmer says Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., questioned why the Secret Service didnt put personnel on the roof of the building the gunman occupied by saying a fictional, comic sheriffs deputy could have protected Trump better. You could have a put Barney Fife on the roof and kept somebody from getting up there, Palmer said, referring to a deputy sheriff character on The Andy Griffith Show. One-minute delay in hustling Trump from stage questioned Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., questioned the delay of more than a minute in removing Trump from the stage after he was shot in the ear on July 13. The shooter had several magazines of bullets and got off eight shots before he was killed by the Secret Service, Lynch said. There was considerable delay in removing the president from podium after the shooting began, Lynch said. He (Crooks) had the capacity and the ability if he was not neutralized to basically mow down that whole Secret Service detachment, as well as the president. Cheatle said agents threw themselves on top of Trump in under three seconds after the shooting began. Our personnel created a body bunker on top of the president, shielding him, she said. Cheatle unsure whether shooter was ever confronted Lynch asked whether anyone confronted the gunman about bringing a range-finder to the rally, but Cheatle said people often bring them to outdoor events. That would certainly raise my suspicion, Lynch said. Anybody confront him on that? Anybody ask him questions: 'What are you doing with a range finder?''' Cheatle said she didnt have details about whether anyone confronted the shooter. But she said range finders are not a "prohibited item" at outdoor venues. FBI director was 'shocked' Secret Service didnt consider Iran threat Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, pressed Cheatle for not providing tighter security for Trump given the U.S. intelligence communitys warnings that Iran wants to assassinate him and other U.S. leaders in retaliation for the killing of a top Iranian general. Turner asked Cheatle if the security plan for the July 13 rally where Trump was shot was sufficient for the specific and generalized threat to Donald Trump's life from Iran? Yes, I do believe it was, Cheatle said. Turner said FBI Director Chris Wray briefed lawmakers on the shooting and that Wray was shocked the threat from Iran was not baked in to the Secret Service plan for the rally. Turner said Wray told lawmakers that Cheatle should resign as a result of the failures, and that President Joe Biden should fire her if she refuses to do so. Cheatle says no requests for extra security for rally were denied House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, got into a heated exchange with Cheatle on past requests for additional security for events the Trump campaign made and the Secret Service denied. More than once theyve asked for additional help and youve turned them down, Jordan said. Cheatle told lawmakers that no requests for Trumps rally on July 13 were denied, but acknowledged her agency has rejected requests from Trumps campaign before for increased security. Cheatle argued a denial of request is not equal to vulnerability. Jordan scoffed at Cheatles response, saying maybe they got tired of asking. Kimberly Cheatle, director of the Secret Service, arrives to testify in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on July 22, 2024. Cheatle acknowledges failure in not clearing roof Cheatle acknowledged the agency prefers sterile rooftops, or rooftops where no one is able to shoot at person being protected and had failed in that effort. We are still looking into responsibilities, and who was going to provide overwatch, or protection against rooftop snipers, Cheatle said. But the Secret Service in general, not speaking specifically to this incident, when we are providing overwatch, whether that be through counter-snipers or other technology, prefer to have sterile rooftops. Cheatle said the investigation would help answer key questions regarding that failure. As Cheatle answered, several GOP lawmakers groaned "No" and "Come on!" Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., shook her head repeatedly and interjected, telling Cheatle to "resign." Who is Kimberly Cheatle? Cheatle, the 27th director of the agency, was sworn in to office Sept. 17, 2022, according to her bio on the agency website. It said Cheatle was responsible for successfully executing the agencys integrated mission of dignitary protection and investigations by 7,800 special agents and others. Prior to her appointment, Cheatle served as senior director in Global Security at PepsiCo, where she directed and implemented security protocols. Before joining PepsiCo, Cheatle served with distinction for 27 years in the Secret Service, her bio said, including as Assistant Director of the Office of Protective Operations. She also was part of the protective security detail for then-Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, forming a close bond with both of them. Jill and I know firsthand Kims commitment to her job and to the Secret Services people and mission, Biden said when appointing her on Aug. 24, 2022. When Kim served on my security detail when I was vice president, we came to trust her judgement and counsel. She is a distinguished law enforcement professional with exceptional leadership skills. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Secret Service director faces heated House hearing: Live updates United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is expected to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday that her agency failed its mission during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump earlier this month. The Secret Services solemn mission is to protect our nations leaders. On July 13th, we failed, the director is expected to tell lawmakers, according to prepared remarks reviewed by CNN. As the Director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse. The agency, Cheatle is expected to say, must learn what happened and I will move heaven and earth to ensure an incident like July 13th does not happen again. Thinking about what we should have done differently is never far from my thoughts. In her testimony alone and under subpoena Cheatle will be forced to provide many answers to what is essentially a single question: How did the Secret Services biggest failure in four decades happen under her watch? In the days following the attempted assassination, Cheatle has done no press conferences and very few interviews. Mondays hearing will mark the first opportunity for a lengthy dive into the security failures at Trumps July 13 rally. House Oversight Chairman James Comer on Sunday promised the hearing would be extensive and detailed. Cheatle is going to have about a six-hour hearing, and shes going to have hundreds of questions that shes going to have to answer, Comer said on Fox News Sunday. In his opening statement Monday, released prior to the hearing, Comer said Cheatle should resign and noted that so far, she has refused to do so. The Secret Service has a zero fail mission, but it failed on July 13 and in the days leading up to the rally, Comers opening statement says. The bottom line is that under Director Cheatles leadership, we question whether anyone is safe. Not President Biden, not the First Lady, not the White House, not presidential candidates. In the week since the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, relatively little has come out about the shooters motive, how he was able to perch on a nearby rooftop with an AR-style weapon and why Trumps team wasnt warned about a potential threat. Republican lawmakers in particular have been upset with the lack of answers, and many have called for Cheatles resignation. Cheatle has said that the buck stops with me, but there has also been finger pointing between the Secret Service and local law enforcement over who had responsibility for what and whether all the resources needed were present. She is expected to say in her remarks Monday that the agencys mission is not political. It is literally a matter of life and death, as the tragic events on July 13th remind us. I have full confidence in the men and women of the Secret Service. They are worthy of our support in executing our protective mission. Heres what to watch for: Why wasnt Trumps team told of a potential threat? The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was spotted multiple times with a rangefinder, a hunting device similar to a pair of binoculars that calculates distance, prior to the shooting. Further, police had circulated a photo of him they had taken. A source told CNN that about 19 minutes before the shooting occurred, law enforcement was trying to locate Crooks, but they could not find him until he was on the roof. Butler Township Manager Tom Knights told CNN police responded to a call of a suspicious male around the same time that Trump arrived for his Pennsylvania rally on Saturday - at least ten minutes before he took the stage for his speech. However, members of Trumps team werent told that law enforcement was trying to locate Crooks as they were preparing the former president to take the stage. There was also no conversation about whether Trump should have delayed his entrance, according to sources who were with him at the rally. We would have never let him go out there if we thought there was a threat to him, one source present with Trump told CNN. A Secret Service source familiar with the incident told CNN that Crooks had been deemed a suspicious person, but that doesnt necessarily mean that there was any indication that he was an immediate threat or had a weapon until just before the shooting. Suspicious people arent uncommon at events like Trump rallies even on Saturday, a guy tried to come in with a goat and a woman showed up riding a horse with a giant Trump flag, and both were also deemed suspicious, the Secret Service source said. Why wasnt the roof secured? Crooks fired several shots at Trump from a roof roughly 150 yards away from Trumps podium. He fired from the roof of a building that was also occupied by a local sniper team on the second floor and served as a staging area for tactical support teams at the rally. Cheatle told ABC News last week that a sniper team was not positioned on the roof of the building due to its slope. That building in particular has a sloped roof, at its highest point, Cheatle told ABC News. And so, theres a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldnt want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside. If the slope of the roof didnt stop the shooters ability to open fire, why did it stop law enforcement from staging there? Secret Service snipers, including the ones who killed Crooks, were also staged on a rooftop with a much steeper incline without a problem. Despite its location, the building also wasnt in the security perimeter. In an interview with CNN, Cheatle said the perimeter encompassed the area that we needed to secure the event that we had on that day. A senior law enforcement official told CNN on Saturday that the Secret Service did not have drone support at the rally, though it does have drone capabilities generally. The source said the agency utilized counter-sniper teams in place of drones. Were assets rejected? Trumps security detail had complained it was not being given enough resources and personnel by the Secret Service over the past two years, something the agency acknowledged this weekend. A spokesperson for the Secret Service said in a statement Saturday that the agency has not provided certain resources in the past but has instead provided other security measures including from local partners. A Secret Service official told CNN that examples of these changes included having local sniper teams in place when the Secret Service could not provide its own or having hand-held magnetometers and other measures established at certain events where larger, walk-through magnetometers werent available. Meanwhile, the nature of an alleged Iranian plot to kill Trump also became known last week. And while there is no evidence connecting it to the shooter, it raises the question about the level of security at Trump events. Asked whether the Secret Service had increased the security it provides to the former president as a result, the director said, We have been doing that over a series of several months, to include on that day. Cheatle would not, however, say whether all elements of the former presidents detail were increased as a result of the threat from Iran. What was the motive? Cheatle will be under pressure from lawmakers to deliver more about the motive behind the shooting. The emerging profile of Crooks more than a week after the shooting has left authorities puzzled about a motive for his assault. Investigators are 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. At the same time, it has been discovered that he visited the rally site twice after it was announced and may have even flown a drone over the area on the day of the shooting. How much longer will Cheatle remain director? Cheatle is a nearly three-decade veteran of the Secret Service, serving in various field offices and vice presidential details including then-Vice President Joe Bidens detail. Cheatle left the Secret Service in 2021 as the Assistant Director of the Office of Protective Operations - a role she held when the Secret Service scrambled to protect then-Vice President Mike Pence from rioters on January 6, 2021. Multiple Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have called on Cheatle to resign. I dont understand her decision-making process, and I dont think shes fit to lead at this critical time, House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News last week. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat, also said Cheatle needs to leave. Im very sorry to reach this conclusion: I have no confidence in the leadership of the United States Secret Service. I hereby call on Kimberly Cheatle to resign, Boyle said on X. This story has been updated with additional comments. CNNs Evan Perez, Kristen Holmes, Holmes Lybrand and Aileen Graef contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Manchin Joe Manchin on Monday ruled out running for president against potential Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, who was endorsed by President Joe Biden when he left the race. "Let me make it very clear to you ... I am not going to be a candidate for president. I am a candidate for basically speaking for the middle of this country," Manchin told CBS television shortly after refusing to rule out a run in another interview. Manchin said he favored the idea of a "mini-primary" process before a candidate to replace Biden was chosen. Asked if he thought Harris was too liberal, Manchin said, "Absolutely." Moments earlier, Manchin was asked on CNN if he would run against Harris. "I don't know," he said. But he told CNN he would not be interested in running as Harris' vice president. Manchin said he had received calls from people asking him to consider a 2024 candidacy, saying they needed a more centrist figure to lead the country. "I want the center of this country to be able to say, we have a voice. We're not extreme left, we're not extreme right," said Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in May decrying "partisan extremism." (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; editing by Deepa Babington) Starbucks may need more than an energy drink to reenergize its investors. Pressure is mounting from activist investor Elliott Investment Management, which took an undisclosed stake in the company, according to a report from WSJ on Friday. Following the news, Starbucks' stock price rose nearly 7% after market close, having fallen more than 21% in the past year. On Monday, shares opened lower, down roughly 3%. Citi analyst Jon Tower told clients in a note that this stake "should come as little surprise to investors." The chain's shares fell 14% following its Q2 earnings results, when it reported its first quarterly sales decline since 2020. Elliott did not return a request from Yahoo Finance for comment, while Starbucks told Yahoo Finance it does not "comment on rumor speculation. Investors are worried about Starbucks' ability to reverse declining foot traffic in the US, compete on innovation and promotions, improve operations, and reverse flagging China sales. Now, Wall Street is weighing what Elliott would focus on and what it could mean for the stock. "A fix will not prove easy, with more difficult decisions likely necessary around the growth algorithm, investments and core market strategies that could potentially hit sales and profits. However, an activist presence likely provides a near-term floor for shares," Tower wrote. "Investors have questioned Elliotts experience and track record in the consumer sector, we believe that an external nudge may accelerate making bold decisions and may offer interesting risk-reward opportunities for long-term investors willing to accept that a turnaround may take time," Bernstein analyst Danilo Gargiulo wrote in a note to clients. Here are 10 items Gargiulo believes the Elliot team would prioritize. In the previous quarter, Starbucks' US foot traffic dropped 7%, which "shocked a lot of people," BTIG analyst Peter Saleh told Yahoo Finance. Reaccelerating US traffic is "the key criteria for stock appreciation" in the medium term, TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles said in a note to clients. In May and June, the chain introduced boba-like pearls and energy drinks, plus a promotional pairing menu. For $5 or $6, customers can get a small iced or hot coffee with a butter croissant or breakfast sandwich. "We'd like to see some progression, or some sort of confidence that ... [foot traffic] is going to improve here," Saleh said regarding the new menu offerings. Gargiulo said that his team likes both beverage launches and expects "further investments in product innovation to draw traffic back to stores" and to reach a Gen Z audience. But the value deals may "dilute the brand perception" of being premium "in the long-run," Gargiulo added in his note. Menu display featuring Starbucks' new Iced Energy drinks, Melon Burst and Tropical Citrus, at a Starbucks location, San Francisco, Calif., June 28, 2024. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images) Fixing its image is another challenge. Its widely discussed price increases are roughly in line with or even slightly below the industry, said Saleh, but the brand has struggled to kick its bougie perception. "I'm not really convinced that they have a real value issue at Starbucks ... They had a social media issue with the boycott" that kicked off last fall, per Saleh. In October, its union group Starbucks Workers United posted "Solidarity with Palestine!" on X, formerly known as Twitter, which some consumers interpreted as Starbucks' support for Hamas. Starbucks condemned the notion, but the perception already sparked a boycott, prompting CEO Laxman Narasimhan, who stepped into the role in March 2023, to issue an internal memo. Improving in-store operations, particularly during busy times, is another must. The company has been implementing the Siren system, a new operational system designed to improve order speed and throughput. By the end of May 2024, more than 1,000 US stores had begun trying the new system. Starbucks needs to "accelerate the roll-out of Siren system that addresses the on-grounds issues of barista and store partners and beef-up back-of-the house operations for digital orders," like a second makeline similar to Chipotle (CMG), Gargiulo said. A sign that reads "Starbucks Made of Tianchi Lake Water" is displayed outside a Starbucks store in Changbai Mountain scenic area in Yanbian city, Northeast China's Jilin province, July 16, 2024. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images) (CFOTO via Getty Images) Improving results in its second-largest market, China, is also needed. Last quarter, China saw the biggest drop of all Starbucks segments, with same-store sales down 11%, foot traffic down 8%, and the average ticket size down 4%. "Performance was impacted by a decline in occasional customers, changing holiday patterns, a high promotional environment, and a normalization of customer behaviors following last year's market reopening," Narasimhan said on the call with investors. In a note to clients, Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore said Starbucks' performance in China is tied to industrywide struggles. "Intense competition is the natural state of restaurant markets and even the strongest brands are not insulated," she said. "The direction of SBUX's China same-store sales growth is strongly correlated with those of other global brands. And all are correlated with macro factors (GDP)." Gargiulo believes franchising may be the way to go in the market with an "equally compelling alternative to leverage buildout of one of the biggest coffee market without the capital allocation" and less exposure to "fluctuating macro-economic conditions." The company still aims to have 9,000 locations in China by 2025. All these efforts may not be quick enough for shareholders. In a note from Morgan Stanley, analyst Brian Harbour wrote that most would agree with Starbucks management's Q2 comments that a turnaround would take time, which is "clouding the near-term investment case." A rebound in sales and earnings could be in the works for fiscal 2025, but "the stock would seem to discount this taking much longer," Harbour added. Tower shared a similar sentiment in a client note. "Bears clearly control narrative, though this could shift should top-line momentum turn and, or the company articulates a clear plan around cost cuts, Siren remodels and, or China," he wrote. "Absent the above, we see little investor appetite to re-engage shares, leaving room for shares to continue to lag market and peers." Brooke DiPalma is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com. Click here for all of the latest retail stock news and events to better inform your investing strategy An electrical worker inspects a power line after Hurricane Beryl, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Conroe. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Vehicles line up for a supply distribution at Woodforest Bank Stadium after Hurricane Beryl made its way through the Greater Houston area, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Shenandoah. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer A tree lays across a section of power lines along FM 1314 after Hurricane Beryl, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Conroe. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Vehicles line up for a supply distribution at Woodforest Bank Stadium on July 10 in Shenandoah, days after Hurricane Beryl made its way through the Greater Houston area. Montgomery County Office of Emergency Managment in coordination with the Montgomery County Food Bank distributed water, ice, packaged meals and other supplies to 1,500 vehicles. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Chris Weiss helps repair a neighbors generator after Hurricane Beryl, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Kingwood. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer August Lenarz with the Texas A&M Fire Service, holds a ba of ice during a supply distribution at Woodforest Bank Stadium after Hurricane Beryl made its way through the Greater Houston area, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Shenandoah. Montgomery County Office of Emergency Managment in coordination with the Montgomery County Food Bank distributed water, ice, MREs and other supplies to 1,500 vehicles. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Residents of The Woodlands' Creekside Park neighborhood raised complaints about CenterPoint Energy long before Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the morning of July 8. On Thanksgiving Day in 2022, Creekside Park Village Association president Nancy Becker said residents lost power four times. Since then, Becker and the township worked to develop a better communication system with the electricity provider as dozens of residents complained about short bursts of lost power, power surges ruining appliances, and later, losing power for days during the May derecho. We think we have (communication) in place, and then again, another incident shows just how broken the system is, Becker said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After Beryl wiped out power in the neighborhood and the county, officials within The Woodlands Townships board of directors and Montgomery County are pushing to have Entergy Texas take over CenterPoints service area in The Woodlands. Entergy Texas said it was aware of the townships meeting. At Entergy Texas, our primary focus is to meet the increasing energy needs of our valued customers, Entergy said in a statement. We encourage non-Entergy Texas customers to engage with their electric utility to resolve any service quality concerns. Frustration with communications Up to 75% of Montgomery County residents lost power during Beryl. And while both Entergy and CenterPoint both took more than a week to restore power to residents, Entergy had more consistent and accurate communication, The Woodlands Township board director Brad Bailey said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its not always what you want to hear, but Entergy is very good at saying, 'Were going to be out there between the hours of such and such, but we cant give you a timeline that were going to be putting up,' Bailey said. The first time (CenterPoint) showed up in Creekside just to do eyes on what theyre dealing with was (July 12) at 5 p.m. CenterPoint had 75,000 outages in the county July 11 as Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough began pushing for more accurate updates from the electricity provider. Of 12 counties in their power grid, in all but two days, (Montgomery County was) the lowest in activations but the fourth largest in their power grid, Keough said. Our ability to communicate with Entergy was much greater (than CenterPoint) it was the hardest thing in the world to get to a decision maker. Keough said that he has begun working with legislators to see if portions of CenterPoints service area, including Sterling Ridge in Montgomery County and Creekside Park in Harris County, could eventually be serviced by Entergy. Your voice of wanting to do something in terms of breaking away from CenterPoint is a topic that is of discussion but it is no small task, Keough said. If I had it my way wed want all of Montgomery County going over to (Entergy), Keough said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Looking at options Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to consider reducing CenterPoints service territory in greater Houston after Beryl to make it smaller so maybe they can do a better job of managing it. But the likelihood of the state diminishing CenterPoints territory is low, given the complexity of the undertaking, said Alison Silverstein, an independent consultant who previously worked as a senior adviser for both the state Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. While its unclear if and when the switch could be made, the township also approved new ad hoc emergency management and government relations committees Thursday to help strengthen relationships with legislative officials and emergency management teams to represent residents in Austin during the PUCs investigation into CenterPoints Hurricane Beryl response. This is an extremely complicated situation. You cannot just say that Entergy is going to take over this service area. They may not want it, Bailey said. My goal is to take the voice of our residents in Creekside Park and Sterling Ridge that have CenterPoint and be their voice in Austin. Their stories need to be heard, their frustrations need to be heard and not doing anything about it is just something that our township board is no longer interested in. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CenterPoint said it will analyze its Hurricane Beryl response ahead of future storms. MILWAUKEE Back in 2016, Donald Trump made a concession about the Republican National Convention. The delegates and audience were not racially diverse enough, Trump said. "The truth is, I didnt like it," Trump said during a television conversation with Bishop Wayne T. Jackson. "With that being said, I dont like the job the Democrats have been doing representing African American people." So how did the 2024 convention in Milwaukee stack up? Only slightly better. Only 1,780 of 2,429 RNC delegates reported their ethnicity, according to convention officials. Of that number, 55 delegates said they were Black representing 3% of the those who provided this demographic information. Delegates during the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum. The third day of the RNC focus on foreign policy and threats. That number, while still very small, is up from 2016 when only 18 delegates reported that they were Black less than 1% of the total. That was the smallest share of Black delegates in an RNC crowd in perhaps a hundred years. By contrast, the peak year came in 2004, during the reelection effort for George W. Bush, according to The Washington Post. That year, nearly 7% of the Republican delegates were Black. Overall, Blacks make up about 14.4% of the American population, according to the Pew Research Center. In a statement, Republican officials played up the 300% increase in Black delegates since the 2016 convention. "The growing representation of different perspectives and backgrounds within the Big Tent GOP is indicative of the groundswell of support for President Donald J. Trumps vision to Make America Great Again," said RNC spokesman Kush Desai. But Democrats said the numbers suggest that the former president's vision is not resonating with Black voters and other minority groups. Democratic President Joe Biden won more than 90% of the Black vote in 2020. In 2016, the Democratic National Convention had 1,182 Black delegates out of 4,766 roughly 25% of the total. Vox reported that half of the Democratic delegates in 2016 were people of color, but only 6% of Republicans. Democrats hold their convention next month. "Republicans offer lip service and photo ops in place of meaningful outreach to Black voters, while Trumps divisive rhetoric and insulting stereotypes like suggesting that Black voters support him more because he is a felon wont win over Black Wisconsinites in November," said DNC senior spokesman Marcus W. Robinson. Rochelle Brooks of Mansfield, Texas, and Tien Tran of Orange County, California, became great acquaintances on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention. u0022People around the world, they have tried to take this man down forever and now nothing can take him down, a bullet couldn't take him down. God spared him for a reason,u0022 Tran said. u0022President Trump has a record that shows when America is doing great, the world will follow.u0022 Black delegates offered differing views on the racial diversity at last week's convention in Milwaukee. Scherie Murray, a delegate from New York who is Black, said he'd like to see more than 3% of the crowd being Black, yet at the same time, Murray said she never felt out of place at the convention. She said she attended a number of events over the past week just for Black conservatives. But Murray said Republicans can do more to boost its numbers, including greater civic engagement and more involvement in the Black community. She said GOP officials should emphasize the impact of Trump's 2017 tax cut on minority communities and their financial support for historically Black colleges and universities. As for South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott's suggestion that America "is not a racist country," Murray wasn't completely on board with him. She said she believes people, regardless of race, have the potential to be racist. But she added that class issues often get confused with racial ones. Jerris Jackson, a delegate from California who is Black, said he didn't care how many delegates were Black. "When I look at the crowd, I'm not really looking for people's race or color or ethnicity," he said while on the convention floor Thursday night. "We're all Americans. We all want to make America great again." When asked about racism in society, Jackson pointed the finger at Democrats, saying they are responsible for discriminatory and racist policies over the years. "I'm happy with the fact that Republicans are bringing in more people and broadening their base," said Rodney Harrison, a Tennessee delegate who is Black. He said he was seeing increasing racial diversity at the local level, too. Several of the Black delegates predicted that Trump would either double or triple his share of the Black vote in November. Not all Black officials walked away from the convention happy. Hulk Hogan, professional entertainer and wrestler, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson says listening to Amber Rose had his 'blood boiling' Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, the citys first elected Black mayor, on Friday said his blood was kind of boiling listening to model Amber Roses speech as he sat in the convention hall. She proclaimed in her convention speech that she had concluded Trump was not racist. Johnson, a Democrat, spoke specifically about the music video to rap song "Trump Trump Baby" by rapper Forgiato Blow. Rose was featured in the video, too, wearing a gold chain with a gold figure of Trump's head, complete with red MAGA cap, attached to it. Johnson noted Blows tattoos and the pairs gold chains, saying if they went to a conservative white neighborhood dressed like that someone would call the police on them. It's absolutely ridiculous, and it's not real, he said. They want these folks for their influence on other people of color and for their vote, but if they brought their true selves to those communities, to those neighborhoods, they'd be shunned." Asked if he worried about the impact of speakers such as Scott suggesting the U.S. "is not a racist country," Johnson said some Republicans seem like they dont want the history of racism to be told. As a Black person, I think about poor little Ruby Bridges going to school or the Little Rock Nine in Arkansas, and you see these vile images, these gross images of people just being racist and yelling just profanities and vulgarities and the N-word and all that stuff, he said, referencing Black students who integrated segregated schools. "They want to erase that but thats important so we dont forget it," he continued. "If we really want to have racial healing in this country then we cant forget what happened in the past. We cant forget that." Alison Dirr of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How white was the RNC in Milwaukee? 3% of delegates said they're Black IntegrationWorks has seven offices across the world, with three offices in New Zealand Auckland and Christchurch, in addition to its Wellington base. It also has three offices in Australia Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and one in Bath in the UK. According to Fusion5, the SI works in the public sector and enterprise space, with the service providers CEO, Sven Martin, claiming the acquired company has has significant skills, expertise and referenceability over a wide range of integration solutions and technologies. By merging IntegrationWorks into Fusion5, we see huge potential to extend our business reach across Australia and, in the long term, make further inroads into the UK market, he said. Under the deal, 80 integration consultants will be added to Fusion5s existing Integration and Innovation pillar, with IntegrationWorks officially becoming part of the service provider on 1 August. Australian Home Affairs Minister and Senator Clare ONeil has said the CrowdStrike outage was a very serious incident for the Australian economy. Ive seen it reported that this is the biggest IT outage in world history, she said during a media conference on 20 July. It is absolutely possible that thats the case, certainly the largest in the time Ive been alive. While the official financial impact of the global outage remains unknown as systems attempt to recover, ONeil said that this has been a very serious incident for the Australian economy. When questioned about the Australian Defence Force and the Future Fund Management Agencys contracts with CrowdStrike, the Senator did not comment on how this outage would impact the contracts in the future. According to AusTender, the Future Fund Management Agencys current contracts with CrowdStrike total over $3.1 million. The vendor will provide software maintenance, IT consultation and support until December 2024. The Australian Department of Defence also has a software renewal contract with the vendor worth about $1.5 million that will end in December 2025. The CrowdStrike outage hit global organisations on 19 July, affecting major companies and retail outlets running Microsoft Windows devices. According to the tech giant, since the initial outage, it has engaged with CrowdStrike to automate its work on developing a solution. The software giant stated it has also deployed hundreds of Microsoft engineers and experts to work directly with customers and collaborate with other cloud service providers, such as Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The blue screen of death was seen on screens in retail outlets and airport flight information boards, with organisations like Foxtel to MyGov, the big four banks and supermarkets also impacted in Australia. Across the Tasman, the NZ Herald reported that Kiwis were experiencing issues with banking and transport services, including delayed flights. While retail and supermarket checkout systems had gone down, some New Zealand-based Countdown stores closed entirely. On 20 July, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz released a statement apologising to all of you for the 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, Kurtz said. He explained that the outage was caused by a defect in a Falcon content update for Windows hosts. However, Mac and Linux hosts were not impacted and said this was not a cyberattack. In a LinkedIn post, CrowdStrike chief security officer Shawn Henry wrote that thousands of our team members have been working 24/7 to restore customer systems fully. I think theres going to be a time for CrowdStrike to come forward and account for the problem that occurred and the way in which the remediation has occurred, she said. The Australian government, of course, will look at whats occurred post this event. According to ONeil, the National Coordination Mechanism, which brings together critical Australian infrastructure providers during a national crisis, was triggered when CrowdStrikes update error caused the global IT outage. CrowdStrike issued an update to a subset of their customers, she said. That update had an error in it which caused effectively system outages for computers that it was pushed to, so computers that were online at that time. Although the bug fix was provided shortly after the event, systems took time to return to normalcy. The issue here is just the breadth of people using this particular software and the time it takes to build and bring major systems back online, said ONeil. The financial impact of the CrowdStrike falcon sensor bug has yet to be calculated, although it has caused significant issues for most customerfacing systems. However, according to the Senator, not every organisation was affected by this outage. There will be a couple of reasons why some providers werent affected at all, she said. Some of them will not have been running the system of CrowdStrike that this affected, so this did not affect all types of CrowdStrike systems. Some that had interactions in software internally in their systems, so some of them wont have been affected, but for others of them, they will have been affected, but theyve got good business processes that allow them to continue to function. The Senator said the outage disrupted government services. However, the most important services, those that deal with vulnerable people and those around Emergency Services, were still able to function, she added. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has also released an alert associated with the global IT outage. While the outage itself was not caused by malicious actors, this hasnt stopped cyber criminals from taking advantage of the situation. According to the ASDs Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), a number of malicious websites and unofficial codes are being released claiming to help entities recover from the widespread outages caused by the CrowdStrike technical incident. The ACSC encourages organisations to continue to apply updates and patches to software and security products. The percentage of posts in the public sector reserved for descendants of combatants in the war of independence was reduced from 30% to 5%. The curfew has been partly relaxed, but students are demanding the release of leaders and the resignation of some ministers. Unlike in the past, today the discontent with the government led by PM Hasina is more generalised. Dhaka (AsiaNews/Agencies) - A tense calm reigns in Bangladesh this morning after the Supreme Court yesterday ruled a reduction in the quotas reserved for certain categories of people in the public sector. In particular, the percentage dedicated to the descendants of freedom fighters (those who took part in Bangladesh's war of independence from Pakistan in 1971) was reduced from 30% to 5%, and a further 2% will be used to protect members of minorities and people with disabilities. In this way, the reserved quotas will be only 7 per cent of civil servants compared to 56 per cent previously. This morning there were no clashes and the curfew was partly lifted, but the university students who took to the streets in recent days demanded from the government the release of the protest leaders who were arrested, the reopening of the universities, closed since 17 July, and the resignation of some ministers, setting a 48-hour deadline for the government to act on these demands. Although Bangladesh has undergone incredible economic development since 2009, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina first came to power, growth has slowed down in the last two years and youth unemployment is very high, with an estimated 18 million young people (out of a population of 170 million) looking for work. It is mainly university graduates who have difficulty finding employment and government jobs, offering a high and stable salary, are therefore highly coveted. As in other South Asian countries, the quota system is supposed to protect the socially and economically disadvantaged sections of the population, which is why some seats are reserved for women, the disabled and ethnic and religious minorities. The quotas reserved for the descendants of the so-called freedom fighters, on the other hand, had a political significance because many of the members of the current political elite belong to that generation and are politically close to the Awami League, the party from which Hasina comes, herself the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and first prime minister of Bangladesh after independence. According to commentators, therefore, the quotas were used by the Awami League to reward its supporters and as a ploy to consolidate the party's influence in the future administration. The system had been abolished in 2018 (again following protests by university students) but was then reintroduced at the end of June this year by a lower court, triggering a new wave of protests, which quickly turned from demonstrations against what is perceived to be an unfair system into anti-government protests. Over 100 people died in the clashes, but the Internet blockade is still in place, making it impossible to establish the exact number. Local sources have declared 146 and 127 dead so far. Unlike in 2018, hostility towards the government today seems to be cross-class. Students speak of Hasina as a dictator and an autocrat. Re-elected in January for a fourth term, the premier has long been accused of taking an authoritarian turn in her government, which is seen by the population as increasingly corrupt and incapable of managing the economy and the growing push of young people to migrate abroad. A sentiment ridden by the opposition, represented by the Bengali Nationalist Party, for now still an acephalous movement as the party's leader, Khaleda Zia, has been in jail since 2018 for corruption crimes. by Vladimir Rozanskij President Mirziyoyev signed a decree for the bicentennial celebration of the birth of the main poet of the Karakalpakstan autonomous region. An occasion to commemorate his works also admired by Turkmen, Kazakhs and Kyrgyz. Tashkent (AsiaNews) - Uzbekistan is pompously celebrating two centuries since the birth of Karakalpakstan's leading poet, Ajiniyaz Kosybaj-Uly (1824-1878), with the publication of books, films, exhibitions and conferences, the opening of a museum in Nukus and the creation of an eco-park in Mo'ynoq named after him. President Savkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree approving all events dedicated to the great 19th-century writer and thinker. The presidential text emphasises that Ajiniyaz made a contribution to the development of culture and literature with his unrepeatable work rich in profound content, helping the formation of youth in the spirit of patriotism and the noblest ideals, strengthening the historical friendship and unity of the Uzbek and Karakalpakst peoples. he humanistic and philosophical visions of the gifted poet were reflected in his verses and in the Dastan, the epic odes typical of the folklore and literature of the Middle and Central East, as far as South-East Asia. These are reworkings of myths, legends and tales with different subjects, narrating adventurous and fantastic situations, often in intricate and hyperbolic stories featuring idealised heroes. Ajiniyaz grew up studying in the Sergazikhan madrasa and the Kutlimurod-inak madrasa in Khiva, the last capital of the ancient khanate of Corasmia. Khiva celebrated the 2,500th anniversary of its foundation in 1997, surrounded by mighty ancient walls surrounding the inner oasis, considered the jewel of the Corasmian region and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so much so that the UN cultural institution included the Kosybaj-Uly celebrations in the main plan of the universal jubilees. Aniyaz was awarded the palm of authentic poet of the people, a great scholar and popular educator, an expert calligrapher who was also known and respected outside the Uzbek lands, throughout the central Asian region. his His works are also admired by Turkmen, Kazakh and Kyrgyz readers, who recognise themselves in him as brother countries, reads the presidential declaration. In It establishes the organising committee for the official events, entrusted to the Prime Minister of Tashkent, Abdulla Aripov, who has the task of confirming the entire programme and arranging extensive propaganda among the entire population. A new edition of the Selected Works of the poet will be published in Uzbek and Karakalpakstani languages, a re-edition of the artistic and publicity works dedicated to his life and his many activities, with a series of presentations throughout the country. A state-funded film entitled Ajiniyaz will be made, as well as various documentaries and other artistic and publicity works. In Nukus, a competition will be held among young talents from all over Uzbekistan on the theme Sing a Song of Ajiniyaz, as well as a literary text competition dedicated to the poet's life and works among students of art and language institutes. In September, a large book and folk art festival will be held in the central hall of the Art Academy in Tashkent, mainly dedicated to the memory of Kosybaj-Uly, and in October, international conferences are planned at the Karakalpakstan State University and the Uzbek-speaking Aliser Navoij University in Tashkent to deepen the thinker's legacy. At the educational institute in Nukus, capital of the independent republic of Karakalpakstan, a museum dedicated to Ajiniyaz will be opened, while a memorial will be erected at the poet's grave site in the Mo'ynoq province, at the centre of the eco-park also dedicated to his name. The memory of the great man of letters will thus serve to celebrate the union of the Uzbeks with the inhabitants of the large mountain province, often the scene of revolts and jealous of its autonomy and ethnic specificity. Houston Mayor John Whitmire disputes critical comments from Council Member Edward Pollard regarding the citys preparation and response to Hurricane Beryl during a press conference Sunday, July 21, 2024 at the Office of Emergency Management in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Houston Mayor John Whitmire disputes critical comments from city council member Edward Pollard regarding to the citys preparation and response to Hurricane Beryl during a press conference Sunday, July 21, 2024 at The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management in Houston. Whitmire stressed the city, the emergency management and the Houston Police Department were prepared for the hurricane. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Acting Houston Police Chief Larry Satterwhite speaks during a press conference with Houston mayor John Whitmire and other city officials regarding to the citys response to Hurricane Beryl Sunday, July 21, 2024 at The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management in Houston. Whitmire and city officials disputed critical comments from city council member Edward Pollard. They stressed the city and its organizations were prepared. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Houston Mayor John Whitmire disputes critical comments from city council member Edward Pollard regarding to the citys preparation and response to Hurricane Beryl during a press conference Sunday, July 21, 2024 at The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management in Houston. Whitmire stressed the city, the emergency management and the Houston Police Department were prepared for the hurricane. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Thomas Munoz, Office of Emergency Management Deputy Director and Emergency Management Coordinator, speaks during a press conference with Houston mayor John Whitmire and other city officials regarding to the citys response to Hurricane Beryl Sunday, July 21, 2024 at The OEM in Houston. Whitmire and city officials disputed critical comments from city council member Edward Pollard. They stressed the city and its organizations were prepared. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Houston Mayor John Whitmire disputes critical comments from city council member Edward Pollard regarding to the citys preparation and response to Hurricane Beryl during a press conference Sunday, July 21, 2024 at The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management in Houston. Whitmire stressed the city, the emergency management and the Houston Police Department were prepared for the hurricane. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Mayor John Whitmire and leaders of various first responder departments pushed back against claims that the city was unprepared for Hurricane Beryl, which hit Houston nearly two weeks ago as a Category 1 storm and left millions without power. Whitmire said he called Sundays news conference at the Office of Emergency Management building to address what he said were comments by Council Member Edward Pollard that lives couldve been saved if the city had been better prepared. Whitmire said the comments were made in news stories honoring Russell Richardson, a civilian employee of the Houston Police Department who was found dead in a car submerged in floodwaters near City Hall. I don't know if Councilman Pollard got us confused with CenterPoint and their preparation, Whitmire said, referencing CenterPoint Energy, the Houston-area electric utility under fire for the widespread power outages. We were better prepared than ever, and to claim otherwise, it's either dishonest or misinformed or both. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mary Benton, chief of communications for the mayors office, said after the news conference that Whitmire was referencing an ABC13 news story remembering Richardson. It included a clip of Pollard saying: We were not fully mobilized. We were having our officers come in on the day of the storm, on the morning of the storm, putting those lives at risk. Pollard said his comments in the ABC13 story weren't in response to questions about Richardson's death but rather about city preparations. In an email statement, Pollard said his heartfelt condolences go out to Richardsons family. Pollard said he hasnt cast blame on any individual and has the utmost respect for first responders. It is deeply disheartening to see our city resort to a press conference aimed at smearing me politically. My comments were solely focused on the logistics of mobilizing our officers a day earlier to ensure their safety and readiness before Hurricane Beryl hit, Pollard said. City officials previously said HPD officers didnt begin working the 12-hour shifts typical during disasters until Tuesday, nearly 24 hours after Beryl first barreled into Houston. On Sunday, Whitmire stood by the citys mobilization of police officers during Beryl. The discussion about we should have mobilized sooner, because that's what previous administrations have done. Every storm is different. We mobilized when we needed to. You don't want your officers to burn out, Whitmire said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Larry Satterwhite, HPD interim police chief, said the department deployed high-water rescue vehicles and brought in officers overnight to set barricades on low-lying areas, among other actions, to prepare for Beryls landfall. We were prepared. To my knowledge, no one's told me anything that we've missed, and I've asked 1,000 times, Satterwhite said. Our employees are our No. 1 priority, keeping them safe, because they're the ones that keep you all safe. But they're also heroes, and they're also going to try to save lives and do everything they can, and sometimes they might take risks. Sometimes that happens in our field of work. We all understand that risk. Douglas Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, said the Houston Chronicle did a horrible job misrepresenting the facts about police mobilization ahead of Beryl. In an interview after the news conference, Griffith said the department was fully prepared ahead of Beryls landfall by having officers and high-water rescue vehicles ready, but you dont fully mobilize until the storm comes in. Griffith said officers were fully mobilized by Monday morning, with 12-hour shifts beginning Monday night. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thomas Munoz, acting director of public safety and homeland security, said the city assigned a large number of Tier 1 employees, those essential to critical city functions, to ride out the storm at strategic locations throughout the city. Houston Public Works also pre-staged some flood barricades and converted some dump trucks to high-water rescue vehicles, he said. Sinclair Elementary School seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Sinclair sustained extensive damage due to the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Karen Warren/Staff photographer A downed school speed limit sign rests on the fence outside of Sinclair Elementary School seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Sinclair sustained extensive damage due to the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Karen Warren/Staff photographer A tree rests on the roof of a temporary building at Sinclair Elementary School seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Sinclair sustained extensive damage due to the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Karen Warren/Staff photographer A downed school speed limit sign rests on the fence outside of Sinclair Elementary School seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Sinclair sustained extensive damage due to the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Karen Warren/Staff photographer A tarp is draped on a damaged temporary building at Sinclair Elementary School seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Sinclair sustained extensive damage due to the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Karen Warren/Staff photographer With the Aug. 12 start of school nearing, Sinclair Elementary families are anxiously awaiting word on whether repairs will be completed in time after the campus in northwest Houston took hits in both the May 16 derecho and Hurricane Beryl on July 8. Sinclair Elementary School saw the worst damage in the Houston ISD from the derecho, with the storm toppling many trees at the campus in Timbergrove, PTO president Kim Ludlow said Friday. It damaged the fifth-grade building, the PE building, an outdoor bathroom and many canopies over walkways. Then Hurricane Beryl damaged a kindergarten playground slide and a temporary building housing textbooks, musical instruments and a room with necessities for students in need, she said. Hurricane Beryl left 60 schools with some structural and roof damage, HISD said, and Sinclair was among a handful of schools with the most extensive damage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A tree rests on the roof of a temporary building at Sinclair Elementary School seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Sinclair sustained extensive damage due to the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Karen Warren/Staff photographer At the top of the PTOs priority list was the removal of a tree from the walkway canopy near the wraparound building so faculty could check on the schools musical instruments. That tree was removed over the weekend. Ludlow also said the district appeared to have moved technology out of the damaged fifth-grade building, which also holds special education classes. The canopies near the second-grade classrooms also need to be removed, and power to outdoor temporary buildings needs to be restored. The district is asking for a $4.4 billion bond, and they cant even manage a project at one campus, Ludlow said. And its just, its incredibly frustrating as a parent. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She hopes the district will take action so students do not have to be bused to another campus as they were after the derecho to Oak Forest Elementary School. THE REPORT CARD: Sign up for a weekly recap of everything happening in and outside of Houston ISDs classrooms HISD initially had a pretty good response starting with tree removal, Ludlow said. And then once the trees were removed, nothing really happened, Ludlow said. She added that school administration advocated for Sinclairs needs and called the slow response a failure of the district. HISD placed tarps over the fifth-grade building, the PE building and the counselors room that were split by fallen trees. The damaged PE building, the outdoor bathroom and counselors room were removed as of early July, Ludlow said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Following familys June 12 emails to district leadership, she said, the district provided its first update on June 13 answering frequently asked questions on repairs. HISD said it would remove items from the damaged buildings between June 24 and July 3 an update available on the schools PTO website. However, a Monday email to families scheduled item removal from July 22-25. Ludlow spoke with visiting district employees, including its operations administrative officer, and construction company representatives Friday. Sinclair Elementary School seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Sinclair sustained extensive damage due to the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Karen Warren/Staff photographer The district said in a statement provided Thursday to the Houston Chronicle that school and division leadership communicate with Sinclair families weekly and will continue to do so ahead of the first day of school. Ludlow said families received an update on repairs on Monday but had not heard anything before that since June 28. The district listed ongoing or completed tasks, such as identifying storage space, in its update. Advertisement Article continues below this ad HISD said Friday it will ask for federal assistance after Hurricane Beryl, which would follow its June request after the derecho. 22 July 2024 12:27 (UTC+04:00) In 2023, the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads (AAYDA) allocated 5 million manats for the repayment of loans, Azernews reports. Access to paid information is limited Find the plan that suits you best. 22 July 2024 15:19 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more In a panel discussion titled Climate Movement and Media at the 2nd Shusha Global Media Forum, Nigar Arpadarai, the high-ranking UN Climate Change Champion for COP29, emphasized the inclusive nature of the Conference of the Parties (COP) as a global platform for societal engagement in combating climate change, Azernews reports. Arpadarai articulated that the COP process is more than just an intergovernmental dialogueit is a broad, inclusive initiative that seeks to involve all sectors of society in the climate action movement. She stated, COP29 is not merely an intergovernmental conversation; it is a comprehensive societal endeavor. We are committed to an inclusive approach where everyone has a role to play in fighting climate change. She also extended a warm invitation to the international community, saying, We invite everyone to Baku for COP29. Baku represents a suitable platform for this purpose, as every individual can make a meaningful contribution to the fight against climate change. Arpadarai highlighted Azerbaijans significant strides in the field of renewable energy, noting the country's strong commitment to sustainability. She explained that Azerbaijan places great emphasis on the development of renewable energy sources as part of its national strategy. This dedication to green energy is a key aspect of our approach to addressing climate change. By focusing on the collaborative nature of COP29 and Azerbaijans renewable energy initiatives, Nigar Arpadarai underscored the importance of a united global effort in climate action and the role of Baku as a central hub for this global challenge. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 17:31 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more By July 1 of this year, Azerbaijan had sold products worth 13.5 billion manats from its industrial zones, with exports amounting to 4.4 billion manats, Azernews reports. Access to paid information is limited Find the plan that suits you best. 22 July 2024 17:16 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more On July 22, the 2nd Shusha Global Media Forum hosted a significant presentation titled Solidarity for a Green World - COP29, organized under the theme Unmasking False Narratives: Confronting Disinformation, Azernews reports. The presentation was led by Elnur Soltanov, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chief Executive Director of COP29. In his address, Soltanov provided an overview of the preparations and strategic measures for the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will be held in Azerbaijan. He highlighted national efforts to combat climate change, the progress in restoring and reconstructing territories liberated from occupation, and the importance of fostering sustainable development. We must take collective action regarding COP29, stated Soltanov. We have a unified mission to achieve a green world. It is essential that we act togetherour success depends on our collective effort. He emphasized that one of the central challenges of COP29 is to develop innovative financing models for climate action. We need to establish a new financial framework, he explained. COP29 represents a significant opportunity, and we are committed to creating a transparent environment where various stakeholders can engage in meaningful dialogue. We have already undertaken 13 initiatives and aim to finalize and address technical aspects by November 11. Achieving consensus in our negotiations is crucial. Sultanov outlined 14 key agendas for COP29, underscoring the importance of creating green corridors, developing storage reservoirs, and addressing water shortagesa pressing issue due to frequent droughts. These topics are critical at national, regional, and global levels, he noted. Climate change affects all countries, and without cooperation between developed and developing nations, a crisis is inevitable. We must honor our national commitments, as each one holds significant value. He also addressed the challenge of reducing carbon emissions without detrimental economic impacts, asserting that no single country can tackle this issue in isolation. All nations must contribute to the process of reducing methane emissions, he added. Increased funding for adaptation efforts is essential. For example, there will be a ministerial meeting in China and another in Shamakhi, Azerbaijan. These initiatives are designed to enhance support for our climate goals. Soltanovs presentation emphasized the urgency of collaborative climate action and the role of COP29 in advancing global environmental sustainability. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 17:42 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more People's Artist Haji Ismayilov has been elected Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Theater Workers, Azernews reports. The decision was announced at the 15th conference of the union. Haji Ismayilov, an Azerbaijani actor, enrolled in the drama and film acting program at the Azerbaijan State Theater Institute in 1963. He joined the Sumgayit State Musical Drama Theater as an actor in the youth troupe on September 2, 1968, and later moved to the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater in 1970. Ismayilov's breakthrough role as Mustafa in the film "Birthday" at AzerbaijanFilm Studio earned him critical acclaim, leading to him being honored as the laureate of the State Prize of the Azerbaijan SSR on April 22, 1980. Azerbaijan Theater Workers is a public organization uniting theater workers in Azerbaijan. The Union of Theater Workers was founded in 1897. The original name of the organization was the Union of Artists, which united about 300 artists. This organization, which continued its activities since 1917 as the Union of Muslim Artists, since 1920 - as the Union of Turkic Actors, since 1948 - as the Azerbaijan Theater Society, was renamed the Union by the decision of the founding conference on February 27, 1987. The Azerbaijan Theater Workers focuses on the revival of the theatrical process in the country. The Theater Workers Union successfully organized theater festivals like Experimental performances, National Classics, Republican Festival of Young Directors, Festival of Children's Performances, Silk Road stage of the International Chekhov Festival", etc. The Union of Theater Workers of Azerbaijan is a full member of the UNESCO International Theater Institute and the International Confederation of Unions of Theater Workers. The Union has its branches in Nakhichevan, Ganja, Lankaran and Sumgait Since March 2013, a laboratory of young directors has been operating in the Union, In November 2018, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the leadership of the Azerbaijan Theater Workers Union and the Georgian Theater Society. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00) National Press Day is being celebrated in Azerbaijan which was established 149 years ago - on July 22, 1875. The foundation of Azerbaijan's national press was laid by Hasan Bey Zardabi, one of the prominent representatives of the enlightenment movement of his time, who started publishing the "Akinchi" newspaper. "Akinchi" laid the first foundation stone of a real national democratic and popular press in the Azerbaijani language. The newspaper, with only 56 issues, was the mirror of the nation and became the flag bearer of Azerbaijani journalism. In the following years, newspapers and magazines such as "Ziya", "Kashkul", "Sharqi-rus", "Irshad", "Molla Nasreddin" published by prominent intellectuals continued the traditions of "Akinchi". The main goal of these press organizations was to fight against ignorance, injustice, and education. Azerbaijan's press, walking on a rich and honorable path, has passed through several stages. During the period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADP), the foundation of a free press, as well as a new perspective on events, was laid. The next stage covers the period after the occupation of the Azerbaijan Republic by the Bolsheviks. 70 years of the 149-year-old press are related to this period of communist dictatorship. At that time, the Azerbaijani press wrote about the current problems mostly in the underlying sense. Because the press was the mouthpiece of the politics and ideology of the USSR. At that time, it was forbidden to think and write differently. Starting from the second half of the 1990s, the Azerbaijani press entered a new stage of development. This stage is also the period of Azerbaijan's statehood and democratic state-building. The Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, who laid the foundation of this new period of development, always highly appreciated the impact of the press on society, and implemented consistent measures to strengthen the material and technical base of the media and freedom of speech. Heydar Aliyev also signed the first decree on the press of Azerbaijan during the period of independence. In total, the Great Leader signed more than 10 orders and decrees related to solving the problems of the press. In 1999, the law "On Mass Media" meeting international requirements was adopted. By the decree of Heydar Aliyev dated August 6, 1998, censorship was abolished in Azerbaijan. The country has the highest level of attention and care for freedom of speech and press, mass media. President Ilham Aliyev signed important decrees in order to develop free media, strengthen the material and technical base of the press, and improve the socio-economic condition of journalists. In the 44-day Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan won victory in the information war as well as on the battlefield. The circles that regularly conduct a black campaign against our country did not stop their dirty deeds during this period. But despite this, the advantage in the information war was on the side of Azerbaijan, which liberated its historical lands from occupation and fought for truth and justice. However, two representatives of the Azerbaijani media were victims of Armenian terrorism. On June 4, 2021, the vehicle carrying the journalists, who were carrying out filming of territories freed from occupation after the end of the Patriotic War, fell into an anti-tank mine in the area of Susuk village of Kalbajar region. As a result, AZERTAC reporter Maharram Ibrahimov, AzTV cameraman Siraj Abishov and the deputy representative of Kalbajar District Executive Authority for Susukz village administrative district Aliyev Arif Aghalar oglu were killed and four others were injured. On June 14, President Ilham Aliyev awarded Abishov Siraj Abish oglu, Aliyev Arif Aghalar oglu and Ibrahimov Maharram Ali oglu with the 3rd degree "For service to the country" order, who performed their duty in the territories freed from occupation. On July 22, 2021 - National Press Day, President Ilham Aliyev presented apartments to the families of martyred journalists - M. Ibrahimov and S. Abishov. The decrees on the widespread celebration of the anniversaries of the national press in the country, the provision of one-time assistance to the mass media, measures to strengthen the social protection of press workers, as well as the awarding of honorary titles to journalists for their services in the development of the national press are also part of the care for the press and press workers. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 11:28 (UTC+04:00) "A joint military agreement should be signed among the Turkish states." Azernews reports that this statement was made by Zorlu Tore, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). He emphasised the critical need for this initiative to materialise, stating, "The Azerbaijani army brought the enemy to its knees in Garabagh. If we unite, no one can stand against us." Z. Tore also expressed that Greek and Turkish Cypriots cannot unite within a single federation, drawing parallels with situations such as Turkey and Greece, Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Russia and Ukraine. He asserted that they must forge their futures as two distinct states. The Parliamentary Chairman further noted that two additional countries are poised to recognise the independence of Northern Cyprus soon. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 15:55 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more One of todays foremost priorities is examining the role of technology in shaping reality, media, and the spread of disinformation, while fostering media literacy among consumers. However, it is crucial to recognize that tools like artificial intelligence, particularly language models, cannot be employed directly in complex geopolitical contexts, such as Pakistan-Azerbaijani relations, as these models follow their own logic and functions. Hamza Azhar Salam, Editor of Pakistan Daily, articulated these points during the panel discussion titled "The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Reality, Media, and Disinformation: Advancing Media Literacy," held as part of the 2nd Shusha Global Media Forum, Azernews reports. In his remarks, Hamza Azhar Salam highlighted the significant role of artificial intelligence in enhancing media literacy and combating disinformation. He addressed the dual-edged nature of AI technologies, which can both facilitate the spread of disinformation and serve as a tool for improving media literacy. Salam stressed that increasing media literacy among consumers is essential for addressing the challenges posed by AI in the digital age. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Aquaculture thrives in NW China's Xinjiang People's Daily Online) 09:28, July 22, 2024 The development of natural water fishery resources intensifies each year, leading to a new wave in inland aquaculture. This surge in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has emerged through advanced breeding techniques, presenting the industry with unprecedented opportunities for growth. Xinjiang's thriving fishery sector owes its success to government support, and assistance from within and outside the region. In 2023, Xinjiang's online retail sales of aquatic products reached 395 million yuan (about $54.29 million), marking a 106.26 percent increase year-over-year. In the Gudukou Aquaculture Farmers' Cooperative, located on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, Xinjiang, workers were harvesting crayfish. Ma Chunhua, head of the cooperative, was busy weighing and loading the catch for customers. Photo shows the salmon farm of Xinjiang Tianyun Organic Agriculture Co., Ltd. in Karasu township, Nilka county, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Xinyang) Ma has been farming crayfish on the edge of the desert since 2017. Through experimentation and learning, she has triumphed over the technical hurdles associated with crayfish farming and devised a farming model incorporating crayfish farming and water caltrop cultivation. The crayfish produced under this model are in high demand in the market owing to their exceptional meat quality and impressive size. "The cooperative now achieves a yield of 150 kilograms of crayfish per mu (one mu is about 0.067 hectares), and the cooperative's membership has grown from the initial four to 10. Each member earns an additional 50,000 yuan annually," said Ma. Despite being far from the ocean, Xinjiang boasts a water area of 5,500 square kilometers and over 46 million mu of land suitable for aquaculture. Moreover, the region's water bodies are home to more than 500 species of bait organisms, providing ample food resources for the growth of aquatic products. Recently, 30,000 crab seedlings were airlifted from Sanmen county, Taizhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province, to an aquaculture base in Xinkailing township, Aral city of Xinjiang. Additionally, 2,000 pearl gentian grouper seedlings were transported from south China's Hainan Province to Longda Aquaculture Farmers' Cooperative in Aral city. Shu Miaoan, an expert from Zhejiang University's College of Animal Science, said that the successful introduction of pearl gentian grouper seedlings not only enriches the aquaculture species in Aral city and improves the efficiency of aquaculture but also provides new ideas and approaches for utilizing saline-alkali land. "Longda Aquaculture Farmers' Cooperative and Zhejiang University's Rural Development Academy have jointly established a cooperation demonstration base to promote the cultivation of high-end seafood in Xinjiang," said Shu. According to Shu, the 2,000 pearl gentian grouper seedlings released this time are in good condition. He also disclosed the upcoming release of an additional 12,000 seedlings, which are projected to yield 6.2 tonnes of mature pearl gentian groupers. At a price of 150 yuan per kilogram, the estimated production value is expected to surpass 900,000 yuan. In a salmon cultivation base situated in Kalasu township, Nilka county, located in northern Xinjiang, freshly caught salmon undergoes swift processing, packaging, and transportation, reaching consumers' tables within a mere 24 hours. The base has the capability to process up to 50 tonnes of salmon daily. Industry experts have pointed out that the utilization of saline-alkali land for aquaculture and agriculture will be a major highlight in the development of fisheries in Xinjiang. Shi Xuecan, head of Tianquan Xueyuan Aquaculture Farmers' Cooperative in Xinjiang's Aksu Prefecture, said this year his cooperative invested 8 million yuan to further expand its operations in response to the increasing demand for cold-water fish. Following the expansion, the cooperative will shift its focus to salmon farming. With an anticipated annual production of 600 tonnes of salmon, the cooperative aims to generate an output value of around 30 million yuan. Xinjiang has been continuously making strides in fish species introduction, breeding, and cultivation. Currently, over 100 fish species, mostly introduced from other regions, are being cultivated throughout Xinjiang. Through these concerted efforts, Xinjiang's aquaculture sector is demonstrating how science, policy support, and creative adaptation can transform challenging environments into thriving centers of aquatic production, fostering economic growth and environmental sustainability. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) One of the Texas Children's Hospital buildings is shown in the Texas Medical Center Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 in Houston. Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Various Texas Children's Hospital buildings, photographed Wednesday, July 22, 2020, at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Federal and state officials are investigating allegations that Texas Childrens Hospital unlawfully billed Medicaid for transgender care. The developments follow multiple public statements made by a nurse who claims to have seen evidence indicating that Texas Childrens illegally charged the government for hormone treatment and other transgender care. The nurse, who has publicly identified herself as Vanessa Sivadge, said she worked with patients seeking transgender care at the hospital. Last week, U.S. Reps. Lisa McClain and Pete Sessions announced that a U.S. House oversight committee would be probing the allegations. Also last week, the state Office of Inspector General sent a letter to state lawmakers, announcing that the Texas Attorney General would be investigating accusations that the hospital potentially misused Medicaid and CHIP funds. The Texas Attorney Generals Office, as well as the offices of McClain and Sessions, have not responded to questions about the investigations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texas Childrens Hospital issued a lengthy response Monday, saying the hospital immediately initiated a thorough and comprehensive review of our billing practices upon learning of the allegations last month. The hospital reviewed all relevant cases and all relevant Medicaid billing rules and found no evidence of fraudulent billing, according to the statement. Reached by phone earlier this month, Sivadge declined an interview request from the Chronicle. In a story published June 18 by conservative activist Christopher Rufo, Sivadge initially claimed to have seen paperwork indicating that Texas Childrens patients who were seeking transgender care had been enrolled in a Medicaid STAR and CHIP plan. She later told the New York Post that she does not directly know whether the treatments were being charged to Medicaid. Sivadge has also claimed in interviews that she saw some examples of doctors at Texas Childrens intentionally misdiagnosing patients in order to charge Medicaid for hormone treatment. In one case, she said in a recent podcast interview that a healthy child had been diagnosed with an estrogen deficiency. The hospital said it was informed of those allegations last week. These latest claims pertain to allegedly fraudulent diagnoses given to patients to obtain Medicaid approval for gender dysphoria treatment that would otherwise be denied, the hospital said. We have processes in place for these types of concerns to be raised, and recognize the seriousness of such a claim. An internal investigation is already underway. Thus far, we have not uncovered any evidence of the alleged behavior. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The statement went on to say that the hospital never condones any criminal act, adding that it welcomes any information that could help its investigation. It goes without saying that if we uncover any rogue or unauthorized criminal activity, we will take swift action to correct the issue, the hospital said. To reiterate, our internal investigation to-date has found no basis to substantiate any allegations of Medicaid fraud. All services provided by Texas Childrens were permitted according to Medicaid billing and payment guidelines that were in effect at the time care was provided. The investigation represents the latest flash of controversy over transgender care at the countrys largest childrens hospital, spurred in part by whistleblower accounts published by Rufo, a former documentary filmmaker-turned-activist who has become known for fueling the national debate on divisive cultural issues. Rufo played an important role in shaping conservative opposition to critical race theory an academic movement that examines the role of race and racism in society and has waged a campaign to dismantle diversity and inclusion programs at schools and workplaces, according to the New York Times. Rufos chief of staff, Armen Tooloee, said he was not available for comment Monday. Rufo has also taken aim at transgender care, which describes a range of different social, psychological, behavioral or medical interventions that support people whose assigned sex at birth does not align with their gender identity. This can include mental health counseling, hormone therapy or surgery, which is rare for people under 18. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He first published information about transgender care at Texas Childrens Hospital last year. Citing whistleblower documents, he wrote that the hospital was providing such treatment, which was legal at the time, in secret. Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the hospital. Texas Childrens later said it planned to discontinue transgender care in light of a statewide ban. The person who said they shared the whistleblower documents with Rufo, Dr. Eithan Haim, has since been accused of obtaining the records illegally and is now facing multiple federal charges. The doctor has raised more than $1 million, which he says will be used to pay his legal fees. Sivadge, who also describes herself as a whistleblower, is scheduled to appear Tuesday as a featured guest for an event hosted by Houston Young Republicans. She has been placed on administrative leave from the hospital, according to a spokesperson. The recent allegations also raised new tensions at Texas Childrens. Last month, a person who identified themselves as an independent journalist was given a trespassing warning at the home of hospital CEO Mark Wallace and the health system campus in The Woodlands, where they had been asking about the Medicaid fraud investigation, according to videos posted to social media. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texas Childrens confirmed that a trespassing warning had been issued at both locations but said no criminal charges were filed. The Days of Uzbek Cinema has kicked off at Nizami Cinema Center in Baku, Azernews reports. The large-scale event was co-organized by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Film Agency. Deputy Culture Minister of Azerbaijan Murad Huseynov and the First Deputy Culture Minister of Uzbekistan Avazkhon Tajikhanov addressed the opening ceremony of the event. Opening the Days of Uzbek Cinema in Azerbaijan, Murad Huseynov welcomed those gathered, hailing the friendly ties between the peoples of the two countries, including in the field of cinematography. He noted that the Uzbek actress Nelli Ataullayeva starred in the film "Meeting" (1955), produced at Baku Film Studio by director Tofig Tagizade. Further, the filmmakers of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan were connected by fruitful cooperation that lasted for many years. The Azerbaijan Deputy Culture Minister outlined that the Azerbaijan State Film Fund stores over 100 Uzbek feature films, including cinema works by Shukhrat Abbasov, Ali Khamraev and Latif Fayziev. Murad Huseynov underlined that the film "Mother-in-Law" directed by Huseyn Seyidzade enjoys special sympathy among the Uzbek audience. In conclusion of his speech, Murad Huseynov once again congratulated the guests and film lovers on the wonderful international film festival - the Days of Uzbek Cinema in Azerbaijan and wished them a pleasant viewing. The First Deputy Culture Minister of Uzbekistan Avazkhon Tajikhanov welcomed the distant, but close and related to the Uzbek Azerbaijani people as representatives of the Turkic world. "The Azerbaijani people were one nation with us, drank water from the same ditch with us, shared the same bread with us, spoke the same language. We still have one religion. It`s not for nothing that the great Uzbek poet Alisher Navoi, continuing the traditions of Nizami Ganjavi, wrote the epic "Khamsa" in the Turkic language (the work was written in Chagatai, a medieval Turkic language spoken in Central Asia), and Muhammad Fuzuli called Alisher Navoi his teacher. And there are many such examples. The Cloth Peddler (1945) production is still staged in many theaters in Uzbekistan with a great success. Or, the already mentioned film "Mother-in-Law", although Azerbaijani, we consider it our Uzbek film. At the moment, thanks to the desire of the presidents of the two countries to bring our peoples even closer together, relations are reaching a new level in all areas, including the humanitarian and cultural ones. The Days of Culture are held with great success in both countries, as evidenced by the present event, within the framework of which multi-genre works of Uzbek filmmakers are presented - for a more extensive understanding of the director's specifics, Avazkhon Tajikhanov said. Furthermore, the film Evrilish (Evolution) was screened as part of the ceremony. The war drama directed by Yolkin Tuychiev tells the story of the fate of an Uzbek man who was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet Army and became the hero of one of the hot spots. The war changes his life and the lives of those around him, he goes abroad. Years later, the man decides to return to his homeland, Uzbekistan. The film received has been awarded at 27th Busan International Film Festival in the KIM Jiseok Award category. This award recognizes the work of the most talented Asian directors in the A Window on Asian Cinema section of the festival. Filming took place in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Egypt and the UK. The film cast included Olmas Urayev, Bakhrom Matchonov, Botir Abdurakhmonov, Zhurabek Arziev, Ilmira Rakhimdzhanova, Yulduz Radzhabova, Igor Bukhaidze, Evgeny Moskvichev and others. The program of Days of Uzbek Cinema features movies like "Evrilish" (Evolution), "Yasha, xotin" (Long Live, Wife!), "Sudya" (Judge) and "Baxodir" (Bahadr). The Days of Uzbek Cinema will last until July 23. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1995 between the two countries, bilateral ties have forged deep bonds. Over 100 documents have been signed between the two countries until today. The holding of the Uzbek Culture Days in Baku in 2023 was another step towards strengthening Azerbaijani-Uzbek relations. The large-scale event featured gala concerts, theater performances, book presentation, exhibition and other events that aimed to highlight Azerbaijani-Uzbek relations. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 16:33 (UTC+04:00) The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) issued weekly information about operations carried out by institutions (ANAMA, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the State Border Service) involved in demining activities in the liberated territories (15.06.202421.07.2024), Azernews reports. Thus, 67 anti-tank mines, 37 anti-personnel mines, and 181 unexploded ordnance were detected and neutralized. Also, 1,673.7 hectares of land were cleared of mines. It is worth noting that because Azerbaijan's liberated territories remain contaminated with mines, the new infrastructure and green energy projects remain a risky and problematic goal. These obstacles to legal peace are part of the challenges facing the repopulation, development, and integration of the liberated territories on the path to full peace. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 12:46 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more After the expiration of the current agreement with Russia at the end of the year, Ukraine and the European Union have appealed to Azerbaijan to supply natural gas to Europe through Ukraine, Azernews reports, citing Bloomberg. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made this statement at a conference held in Shusha on Saturday. "Discussions with Ukraine, the EU, and Russia are ongoing, and all parties are interested in continuing the supply," said Aliyev. Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Ukraine is negotiating to facilitate the supply of natural gas from Azerbaijan to the EU. This move aims to maintain Ukraine's role as a transit country and support the energy security of its western neighbors. Zelensky told Bloomberg that among the proposals being discussed is an agreement to replace Russian gas with Azerbaijani supplies. The agency reports that Europe has been attempting to reduce its dependence on Russian gas since the occupation of Ukraine. However, some European countries still receive gas through pipelines via Ukraine. The current transit agreement expires at the end of 2024, and many anticipate that the flow of Russian gas will cease due to the ongoing war. Aliyev highlighted that countries such as Austria and Slovakia could face significant challenges if the transport of Russian gas through Ukraine ceases, as they would need to pay higher prices to procure gas from alternative sources. The Azerbaijani leader noted that his country's gas production is poised to increase due to new and existing projects in the Caspian Sea. In 2022, Azerbaijan signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Commission to double gas exports to Europe to 20 billion cubic meters by 2027. Aliyev affirmed that Azerbaijan is progressing toward this goal, with exports to Europe set to rise from 11.8 billion cubic meters in 2023 and 8 billion cubic meters in 2021 to nearly 13 billion cubic meters this year. "The supply will be transported through the pipeline network known as the Southern Gas Corridor, connecting Azerbaijan to Europe via Georgia and Turkey," stated Aliyev. It notes that Azerbaijan also continues to import natural gas from Turkmenistan on a swap basis. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 15:34 (UTC+04:00) "President Salome Zurabishvili's lawsuit against the law "On Foreign Agents" in the Constitutional Court will have no prospects." Azernews reports that Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze said this. The Prime Minister said that it is impossible to prove that transparency is bad: "It is wrong from a legal point of view." It should be noted that before this, Zurabishvili filed a lawsuit against the Law "On Foreigners". --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 July 2024 20:23 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva China and the Philippines have reached an agreement that they hope will end the confrontation over the most disputed area in the South China Sea - the Second Thomas Shoal, Azernews reports. The decisive agreement was reached on Sunday after a series of meetings between Filipino and Chinese diplomats in Manila and an exchange of diplomatic notes. "Both sides continue to recognize the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and resolve differences through dialogue and consultations, and agree that the agreement will not harm the positions of either side in the South China Sea," the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The long-standing territorial confrontation on the Second Thomas Shoal has been constantly escalating since the beginning of last year, when the Filipinos tried to deliver food to the stranded ship BRP Sierra Madre and considered an outpost of the Philippines in the region. According to the Philippine government, during the worst clash on June 17, Chinese forces in motorboats repeatedly rammed two Philippine Navy boats and then boarded them to prevent Filipino personnel from delivering supplies, including firearms. Several members of the Philippine Navy were injured during the violent skirmish. China and the Philippines have accused each other of confrontation, and each has claimed its own sovereign rights to the stranded, which the Filipinos call Ayungin and the Chinese call Renai Jiao. The United States and its key Asian and Western allies, including Japan and Australia, condemned China's actions on the shoals and called for respect for the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. Washington has repeatedly warned that it is obliged to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Philippine troops come under armed attack, in particular in the South China Sea. --- 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. For the first time in American history, political party bosses have ousted an incumbent president from his party nomination after that incumbent had amassed a solid and overwhelming convention delegate majority. The instigator of this anti-democratic move was Barack Obama, and it was set in motion by suckering Biden into an unprecedented pre-convention general election presidential debate. It also came after party bosses had strongarmed the nomination process for Biden, suppressing potential challengers in the primary process by a string of hardball moves. Biden waved a white flag and surrendered to the coup today. Initially, it appeared that the coup plotters intend to replace Biden with Kamala Harris, but she may be taken out in a second phase of the coup. Democrat kingpin and coup leader Obama refused to endorse Kamala Harris and instead called for a "process" to choose a new nominee. Such a "process" would involve party insiders and pointedly exclude Democrat Party voters. Some believe that Obama wants to install his own wife as the nominee. All of this represents a severe attack on American democracy. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/vdh-which-party-killing-democracy https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2024/07/21/democracy-elite-just-slew-democracy-n2177183 https://www.breitbart.com/2024-election/2024/07/21/democrats-rigged-primary-biden-only-push-him-out/ https://nypost.com/2024/07/22/opinion/by-calling-joe-biden-a-hero-dems-treat-americans-like-idiots/ https://americanmind.org/salvo/democrats-flunk-democracy/ https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/us-republicans-accuse-democrat-elite-of-staging-coup-to-depose-biden/ https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/07/barack-obama-releases-statement-joe-biden-dropping-notably/ The "Pravda on the Hudson", the far left New York Times, has already demanded through its editorial board that Kamala Harris be purged from the ticket as well. https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2024/07/21/new-york-times-board-wants-kamala-harris-out-race/ This column in one of the UK's leading newspapers tells it all, and aptly calls Obama "Biden's own personal Brutus" (Brutus was one of Julius Ceasar's supposed allies who participated in his assassination): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13657039/Biden-withdrawal-presidential-race-kamala-MAUREEN-CALLAHAN.html The Democrats may have a huge problem in transfering Biden's $100 million war chest. While there are some arguments that Kamala Harris could take it over, certainly no other new candidate could. There are substantial legal arguments that it could not even be passed to Harris. https://www.breitbart.com/2024-election/2024/07/21/fec-chairman-biden-donations-shall-either-returned-refunded-after-drop-out/ All of this reminds one of the Stalin purges, when those ousted got airbrushed out of pictures with Stalin, like the picture below, except substituting Obama for Stalin and Biden for one of the ousted Soviet leaders. The party that always claims to be about "saving democracy" actually has a horrible record of trying to take presidential candidates off the ballot, and it did not start with forcing out Joe Biden. The party ought to call itself the Un-Democratic Party. They started with their own primares. Not only did they blatantly rearrange the schedule to benefit Biden and make it difficult for challanegers, and banned a presidential primary debate, but they actively worked to keep challengers off of state presidential primary ballots, inlcuding that in North Carolina. The result was many Soviet style ballots with only one candidate listed that voters could vote for, even though there were challengers also seeking the position. Then there was an organized campaign to take President Trump off of Republican primary ballots. That campaign was led by a Biden political appointee. They temporarily succeeded in Colorado where four Democrat Supreme Court justices who were Democrat political contributors overruled three Democrat Supreme Court justices who kept their noses out of politics. One of our Democrat state board of elections members here in North Carolina was working on the same project. This scheme was brought to a screaching halt by a unanimously ruling from the US Supreme Court. More recently Democrats have orchestrated a campaign to take rival liberal independents and third party candidates off of the presidential ballots, including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. It doen's matter that those candidates have followed all the legal rules to qualify. Democrat Secretaries of States or Boards of Election, kick them off anyway. One of the states that this assaualt on democracy has so far been successful is here in North Carolina. https://redstate.com/rusty-weiss/2024/07/22/the-party-of-saving-democracy-keeps-trying-to-remove-presidential-candidates-from-the-ballot-n2177225 https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2024/07/22/dave-portnoy-democrats-want-to-hijack-democracy-by-pushing-out-joe-biden/ https://nypost.com/2024/07/22/opinion/defenders-of-democracy-staged-a-cover-up-and-coup/ A Lineman tends to fallen power lines in the East End neighborhood of Houston, days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall, on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer CenterPoint should pay us Regarding: How CenterPoint fleeces Houstonians. And why we still cant rely on our grid. (July 17): We have hurricanes in Houston. Always have and always will. So tell me why we as a society have still not yet learned we should have zero power lines above the ground? Why are our city leaders (or state leaders, for that matter) not putting forth legislation requiring new communities to have all power lines underground? Why are our leaders not requiring all existing power lines be moved underground as well? I understand this is going to cost money. However, it will end up saving us money in the long run. What happened with Hurricane Beryl is an absolute joke and travesty. I dont think anyone would disagree with that point. This was a Category 1 storm. CenterPoint dropped the ball big time. The only way to fix the issues with CenterPoint is hitting them in the pocketbook. A city of Houston administrator told me she thought CenterPoint should be required to pay every homeowner $1,000 for each day they lost power, even for one hour. Why is CenterPoint not required to do preventative tree maintenance year-round? They should be trimming trees and such every month around all power lines. Lord knows we pay enough to cover those costs. Until we hold their feet to the fire, this type of behavior from CenterPoint will continue. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Nick Nicholson, Sugar Land Regarding CenterPoint has deep roots in Houston and deep pockets for Texas politicians (July 16): Chris Tomlinson seems to hit the nail on the head. From the moment my power went off I told myself not to worry, it would be restored shortly. Instead, it took seven hellish, heat-filled days and nights before I got any relief from soaring temperatures. And I pay my CenterPoint bill on time. Hard-working citizens deserve better than this, deserve to at least have sanctuary in their own homes. It is not possible when we vote for people who betray us. They work to fill their own pockets by kowtowing to greedy shareholders, who then get rich off of the penalties we pay in new CenterPoint charges. We want to trust the people we vote for to take care of our interests. More and more, from the highest offices on down, it seems that our politicians are working against us. Taxation without representation. Audrey Schambon, Houston Think of Texas inmates Regarding CenterPoint says some customers may not get power until Friday due to 'nested outages'. What are they? (July 15): Yesterday I received an email titled, Im worried about you. My friend had just heard about the power outages and was concerned that I would be suffering from the heat and lack of AC. He was right. I was on Day 8 of no power, and getting crankier by the minute. I had received several similar emails, but what is notable about this one is that the sender lives in Texas with no air conditioning every day, so I thought it rather extraordinary of him to think of me. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He is, of course, incarcerated in one of our lovely prisons, where we do not consider the inmates to be worthy of basic survival necessities such as air conditioning (and boy, do we complain when we dont get it for a few days!). He often skips dinner because he has to line up in the sun, and thus get even hotter, to receive his meager helping, and he doesnt think its worth it. So when we are bemoaning our situation, perhaps we should spare a thought for the criminal justice system in this state, and agitate for better treatment of our family members, friends and yes, even those we dont know, who are treated so inhumanely. Strangely, our laws protect dogs and cats from being kept in shelters above a certain temperature, but not our fellow humans. Olga Watkins, Houston By Adam Dooley Christian Action League July 19, 2024 In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Americans are left wanting answers surrounding the tragedy. One brave father present at the rally, Corey Comperatore, died protecting his family from a stray bullet. Two other attendees, James Copenhaver and David Dutch, suffered critical injuries but are now recovering in stable condition. The near miss on President Trump was nothing less than breathtaking. Had the Republican nominee not turned his head at precisely the correct moment, the snipers murderous intent would have been realized. Had the position of the bullet been just one inch to the right, the course of American history would have changed forever in a Pennsylvania field. One cannot come closer to death and emerge unscathed. While we commend the brave men and women who shielded the president amidst the chaos, questions about the ordeal remain. How was a building just 130 yards from the rallys stage left unsecured? Why was our 45th president allowed to begin his speech while a twenty-year-old killer was simultaneously evading authorities? How could witnesses identify the shooter on the roof a full two minutes before his first shot and nothing be done? Why were there no countermeasures before the assassins first shot fired? Hopefully, in time, we will have answers to questions like these to hold those responsible for such deadly blunders accountable. While we wait, Id like to answer a question of a different sort that, admittedly, not as many people are asking. What spiritual lessons should we learn from the near death of Donald J. Trump? What does the incident teach us about ourselves? Or about the God we serve? Let me suggest three important takeaways. First, the former presidents near demise exposes how fragile we are. Though every human is made in the image of God, possessing an eternal soul, each of us is but a single catastrophe away from passing into eternity. Because the treasure of Gods imprint is in earthen vessels, everyday men and women of all ages die (2 Cor. 4:7). Despite the great feats of humanity, the Bible says we spring up like a flower and wither away like a fleeting shadow (Job 14:1-2). The number of our days is but a handbreadth, a mere blip on Gods eternal radar (Ps. 39:3-5). Truly, we are here for a moment and then we vanish away (James 4:14). The events of last weekend were an unwelcomed reminder of how quickly we can, and will, lose everything. Life can end in an instant. History can change in a moment. Disease may ravage our bodies. Decline may swallow up our achievements. The design of others may steal away the time we have left. Every single day, weakness swallows up those who were once strong. These realities do not leave us hopeless, however. Our temporary frailties reveal the eternal strength of our God like nothing else (2 Cor. 4:8-11). Second, the miraculous intervention that saved Donald Trumps life reminds us that God is sovereign over all things. Some might chalk it up to luck or random chance, but you will never convince me that God did not spare the life of Donald Trump on July 13. Gods sovereignty speaks to the fact that He rules over heaven and earth. The Lord has established His throne and He rules over all (Ps. 103:19), including human history (Ps. 66:5-7). We exist because of Gods providential care, whereby He creates us, establishes our boundaries, and sustains each breath we take (Acts 17:26-28). Thus, we can live with confidence that the God who knew us in the womb has written down all the days prepared for us (Psalm 139:16). We cannot add nor take away one moment He prepares for each of us (Job 14:5). Our ways are before Him, and He watches all our paths (Prov. 5:21). I do not pretend to understand all the reasons why God spared the life of President Trump, but I am confident that He will bring it to pass just as He has planned. The same is true for each of us. Finally, our greatest problems are not political, nor are the solutions our world needs. The wickedness required to eliminate your political enemies by means of assassination is undeniable. Ironically, even those typically hesitant to speak of matters in terms of right and wrong cannot deny the moral repugnancy of last weekends cowardly act. Only God can help us find our way again. Politics are not insignificant, but neither are they ultimate. Perhaps this is the moment we need to humble ourselves before the Lord. May we heed the counsel of the psalmist who said, Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance (Ps. 33:8-12). Dr. Adam B. Dooley is pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, TN, and author of Hope When Life Unravels. Contact him at adooley@ebcjackson.org. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBDooley. Here are three of the biggest healthcare disruptors in the race to acquire physicians: Optum UnitedHealth Group's Optum, parent company of ASC chain SCA Health, added nearly 20,000 physicians in 2023, bringing its total to at least 90,000 affiliated physicians. The country's largest employer of physicians, Optum has 2,200 primary and specialty care offices in 16 states. In March, Optum received approval to bypass a state review of its planned purchase of physician-owned Corvallis (Ore.) Clinic, the Oregon Health Authority. However, the company also called off its plan to acquire financially troubled Steward Health Care's 1,700-physician group, In 2023, Optum acquired health technology firm EMIS Group for $1.51 billion, Optum merged with home health provider Amedisys for $3.26 billion and acquired multispecialty physician group Crystal Run Healthcare. In 2022, Optum acquired Houston-based physician group Kelsey-Seybold for around $2 billion, Auburndale, Mass.-based Atrius Health for $236 million and home healthcare business LHC Group for around $5.4 billion. Amazon With more than 221 primary care offices in more than 20 markets, retail giant Amazon is one of the biggest disruptors in the race to acquire physicians. In 2023, Amazon closed on a deal to buy primary care company One Medical for $3.9 billion, giving the company access to more than 200 brick-and-mortar physicians offices and roughly 815,000 One Medical members. One Medical has since formed collaborations with Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health and Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health's Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, allowing specialists from both health systems to deliver care to Amazon's primary care patients. Although the company announced in February it is planning to close some corporate One Medical offices, the company is still growing. In January, Amazon Pharmacy announced plans to integrate with One Medical to give patients and providers increased access to medication consultations. CVS Health CVS Health's physician strategy focuses on primary care. In May 2023, CVS closed on its $11.5 billion acquisition of Chicago-based primary care organization Oak Street Health. By 2026, CVS Health expects to have more than 300 locations. In March 2023, it completed an $8 billion acquisition of Signify Health, adding 10,000 clinicians. CVS and Signify said they intend to work to lower costs and improve patient care, engagement and access, with a focus on Medicare Advantage customers. The group has 1,100 MinuteClinic locations in 36 states and Washington, D.C. With the Oak Street deal, CVS Health also has more than 130 primary care clinics. Additionally, CVS has opened 31 new clinics since acquiring Oak Street. "Oak Street Health has been the bellwether for innovation in the primary care space," said Richard Zane, MD, chief innovation officer of Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth, told Becker's in May. "A lot to like and emulate about their approach, their financials and, most importantly, their patient outcomes, making them a smart acquisition target and giving CVS Health a great opportunity to move quickly. Looks like Amazon with One Medical and now CVS with Oak Street Health are not dabbling." In May, Bloomberg reported that CVS Health is seeking an investor to fund the expansion of Oak Street.According to the report, clinics like Oak Street tend to lose money in the first few years of operating as they acquire patients for the joint-venture. Former employee Brenden Wicks of St. Louis-based Clarkson Eyecare has been ordered to appear in court in August after allegedly stealing patient refunds r, according to a July 21 report from Fox 2 Now. Mr. Wicks allegedly stole more than $3,000 between Aug. 8, 2023, and Oct. 30, 2023. The St. Louis County Police Department was called to Clarkson Eyecare on Jan. 1 for a reported employee theft. An audit showed that Mr. Wicks was skimming patient refunds and depositing the money into his own account, according to the report. Mr. Wicks has been charged with stealing over $750 and is set to appear in court on Aug. 27. San Jose, Calif.-based Regional Medical Center's trauma center will modify heart attack and stroke programs and remain open after pushback from local stakeholders. Its trauma center will transition to a Level 3 center from Level 2 status, according to a July 19 news release. It will also operate as a stroke center with the ability to "address the needs of 97% of stroke patients," transferring the remaining cases to acute care providers, the release said. Additionally, capacity for the emergency department will be increased from 43 to 63 beds by 2025. Trauma services were set to close Aug. 12 because of low utilization, the hospital reported on Feb. 14. The revised services will now begin Aug. 12. The County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors previously asked the state to deny the closure, citing a report that stated the hospital sees 25% of all trauma cases in the county. The 252-bed hospital is part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare. A cyberattack compromised three employee email accounts at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine, which led to about 56,953 individuals being personally notified. According to a July 22 news release from the health system, the breached emails were work-related messages dealing with payment and billing coordination for patients. The emails contained some patient-protected health information including names, medical record numbers, addresses, dates of birth, diagnostic and treatment information, and/or health insurance information. Michigan Medicine said during its investigation into the incident that it did not find any evidence to suggest that the cyberattack's mission was to obtain patient health information, but that it could not rule out data theft. Michigan Medicine said the email accounts did not contain any credit card, debit card or bank account numbers. Although four patients, according to the release, did have their Social Security numbers compromised. As rural hospitals grapple with eroding profits, one Vermont hospital CEO suggested giving hospitals and clinics in the state access to an Epic EHR system, Valley News reported July 21. On July 15, approximately 30 individuals assembled at the Windsor Welcome Center in Windsor, Vt., for an event aimed at collecting feedback on the issues confronting the state's healthcare systems. Among theattendees was Winfield Brown, CEO and president of Windsor, Vt.-based Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center. Citing the widespread use of Epic Systems EHR software, which manages nearly half of the nation's patient care records, Mr. Brown highlighted the significant financial investment required to implement this system statewide. According to Mr. Brown, giving healthcare organizations access to the Epic system would cost Vermont "millions." However, he argued that such a move could also dramatically reduce system inefficiencies, making it a bold idea worth pursuing. According to the article, in 2023, nine of Vermont's 14 hospitals experienced financial losses. As the closure of New York City-based Mount Sinai's Beth Israel hospital remains in limbo, the health system has expressed concerns over threats to "lock up" specific Mount Sinai senior executives should the hospital close in violation of a temporary restraining order. The hospital was supposed to close on July 12, according to its revised closure plan, but the New York State Department of Health's continued review of the plan has delayed the closure. Mount Sinai is also battling a lawsuit from the Community Coalition to Save Beth Israel Hospital and the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary to keep the hospital open. In a July 18 letter to New York City State Judge Nicholas Moyne obtained by Becker's, Mount Sinai attorney David Friedman pointed to concerns over a letter that Arthur Schwartz, attorney for the coalition, had shared with the Mount Sinai defendants' counsel and leaked to Spectrum News on July 10. "I will immediately go to court and seek jail time for the president of Mount Sinai and president of Beth Israel," Mr. Schwartz said in the letter should the hospital close in violation of a temporary restraining order. "There was and is no good faith basis to claim that the hospital intended to close in violation of the courts orders, and such baseless threats against distinguished professionals who have devoted their careers to providing health care to the New York community are wholly unwarranted," Mr. Friedman said in the July 18 letter. Mr. Friedman had also written a July 9 letter, obtained by Becker's, to Mr. Schwartz and denied that the hospital had plans to close in violation of the TRO, calling his claims "baseless and false." "Your threat to seek to 'lock up' Dr. Carr and Ms. Sellmanhighly respected professionals who have dedicated their long careers to providing healthcare to the New York communityhas no merit whatsoever," he said. "Should you follow up on this baseless threat, the Mount Sinai defendants reserve the right to seek appropriate sanction." Mr. Schwartz responded to Mr. Friedman in a July 19 letter shared with the court, calling the claims that Dr. Carr and Ms. Sellman feared for their safety "preposterous." "I believe that nothing inappropriate was said," Mr. Schwartz said in the July 19 response letter. "[Had] Carr and Sellman gone ahead with their July 12 plan, which Sellman kept repeating to all staff, I would have sought a contempt citation and imprisonment." Tara Beth Anderson, MSN, RN, was named president of Baptist Medical Center Nassau in Fernandina Beach, Fla., part of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health. Ms. Anderson began her new role on July 22, according to a hospital news release, Before joining Baptist Nassau, she served as chief nursing officer of HCA Florida Capital Hospital in Tallahassee, part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare. Baptist Health is a six-hospital health system with more than 14,250 employees. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Mayor Sylvester Turner at Market Square Park as the 2018 season of Cigna Sunday Streets makes its final stop in Downtown Houston. Gary Fountain/Contributor U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee speaks during a news conference after Mayor Sylvester Turner announced his endorsement of her mayoral bid on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee speaks during a news conference where Mayor Sylvester Turner endorsed her to succeed him in the mayors office on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, at podium, speaks at a press conference next to chief Troy Finner, left, and mayor Sylvester Turner, middle during the second gun buy back program, held at the Metro Westchase Park and Ride location Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022 in Houston, TX. Michael Wyke/Contributor Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, left, gestures as she thanks Mayor Sylvester Turner for his endorsement to succeed him in the mayors office during a news conference on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Houston with Mayor Sylvester Turner addresses the media and attendees during and event highlighting U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) efforts toward securing an Emancipation National Historic Trail designation on Friday, March 6, 2020 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer Mayor Sylvester Turner, left, and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee embrace following a news conference where he endorse her in the race to succeed him in the mayors office on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Her colleagues called her the hardest-working member in Congress. The Houston Chronicle called her a relentless flagbearer in House Democrats social justice push. President Joe Biden called her part of a long line of patriots who delivered the promise of America to all Americans. Here at home, we called her, simply, Sheila our friend and champion who was always on the front lines fighting for us. Sheila was everywhere. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She was advising presidents and meeting with global leaders; hand-delivering air conditioners to families in some of Houstons poorest and under-resourced communities; in Congress, channeling billions of federal dollars back to her district; at a constituents bedside, giving words of comfort to families who lost loved ones; at places of worship and events showcasing the global diversity of our city the list goes on and on. Sheila was relentless. President Biden, in remarks celebrating just one of Sheilas crowning achievements the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, said, I learned a long time ago: When Sheila wants something, just say yes. I can certainly vouch for that. The Congresswoman was notorious for going around the mayors office and calling the city directors directly for things she needed for her constituents. Several times I told her if she needed something, just to call me. That lasted but a minute; she was not to be denied. Sheila delivered. Advertisement Article continues below this ad From Harvey to Winter Storm Uri, she came to the Houston Emergency Center to get a status report on the impact of the storms and reached out to our federal partner for additional resources. Once the storms passed, she organized food and water distribution sites throughout her district. Not only did she organize them, but she was also out there working alongside the volunteers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was front and center, setting up nearly 100 testing sites in and around the Houston area. I dont believe any Congress member in the United States did more. She was in constant communication with the citys health department and often attended the citys press briefings as well as having her own. When the vaccines were ready for distribution, she did everything in her power to make sure people throughout her district were able to get them. No detail was too small to merit her attention. Sheila did not take no for an answer. When Congress provided funding for earmarks community grants that individual members could request for projects in their districts she saw the opportunity to bring resources to long underserved communities in Houston. She crafted a plan to maximize the resources and executed her plan with military precision. Failure was not an option. She reached out to the city for a list of projects she could advance but that wasnt enough. She added a list of projects she solicited from various community organizations. After submitting the combined list to the House committee for funding, she let me know it was my responsibility to make these projects work even if they were not fully funded and even if the city was not the project sponsor. For Sheila, no obstacle was too big to get in the way of a solution. Helping the community was the only thing that mattered. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sheila made big things happen. Mayor Sylvester Turner shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee on the White House lawn. Dellinger, Hannah/Photo Courtesy City of Houston On any issue with the Department of Transportation, HUD, EPA, Department of Education, immigration, passports and more, she could get you an audience or get the secretary to come to Houston. Whether they were Cabinet secretaries or lower-level officials, everyone knew what President Biden knew: When Sheila wants something, just say yes. With every fiber in my being, I miss my friend, Sheila Jackson Lee. But our champion has been called home by God, and we are called to carry on her work and her legacy. We must be everywhere, comforting the sick, confronting the powerful and, in the words of her dear friend U.S. Rep. John Lewis, causing good trouble. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We must be relentless in the pursuit of justice, equity and equality. We must take our place in the long line of patriots who deliver the promise of America to all Americans. We must move forward without the congresswoman, and in so doing, honor and perpetuate her legacy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad William Perno has been named CEO of Springfield-based Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital. Mr. Perno brings over 20 years of healthcare leadership experience to Ohio Valley, according to a July 19 news release from the hospital. He was set to start July 22, Mr. Perno said on LinkedIn. He was most recently Cityblock Health's Ohio market vice president, overseeing growth initiatives and strategic development, the release said. Mr. Perno succeeds Ron Connovich, who was named CEO on Nov. 1. President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign July 21 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's nominee to replace him in the 2024 presidential race. Since the June 27 presidential debate, Mr. Biden has faced concerns over his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election, and pressure from Democratic leaders to drop out had been mounting. He is the first sitting president eligible for reelection to step aside since 1968, when President Lyndon Johnson announced he would not seek a second term. "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 to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Mr. Biden wrote in a letter posted on X. Ms. Harris has emerged as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, securing endorsements from Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and dozens of others. Here is a look at where Ms. Harris stands on healthcare policy issues. 1. Reproductive health rights are likely to be a cornerstone of Ms. Harris' campaign if delegates officially nominate her as the candidate at the Democratic National Convention next month. The Republican party has reduced its attention on the topic, with minimal mention at the recent convention. Surveys suggest Ms. Harris would have a polling advantage when it comes to women's health and abortion. In April, a Pew Research Center poll showed 63% of adults said abortion should be legal in all or most cases. A separate Gallup poll in May found 32% of voters said they would vote only for a candidate for a major office who shares their views on the topic, a view that nearly twice as many voters who support abortion hold, relative to those who do not support it. As vice president, Ms. Harris has taken a more visible and vocal role in supporting reproductive rights than President Biden, according to KFF Health News. Both leaders have voiced support in restoring federal protections under Roe v. Wade, though Ms. Harris proposed even stronger protections during her 2019 presidential election campaign, according to Politico. The proposal would mandate that states seek clearance from the department before implementing any abortion restrictions to ensure their constitutionality. 2. While serving as California's attorney general from 2011 to 2017, Ms. Harris strongly opposed healthcare consolidation and prosecuted numerous industry players for alleged fraud or antitrust violations, according to The New York Times. She was among the first state attorneys general to oppose Boise, Idaho-based St. Luke's Health System's acquisition of Saltzer Medical Group and joined a federal lawsuit blocking Anthem and Cigna's merger in 2017. Ms. Harris' position aligns with the Federal Trade Commission's strict antitrust enforcement under the Biden administration. 3. In 2017, Ms. Harris became one of the first prominent Democrats to back Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare-for-all" bill. As a presidential candidate in 2019, Ms. Harris proposed her own "Medicare for All" plan. In a departure from Mr. Sanders, the proposal called for a 10-year phase-in period and would allow private insurers to compete with a government-led system. 4. Ms. Harris has advocated for student loan debt forgiveness during her time as California attorney general and as vice president, particularly for those working in public service sectors such as education, law enforcement and healthcare. In 2022, she led the Biden administration's decision to cancel all remaining loan debt for students who attended Corinthian Colleges, a for-profit chain that she prosecuted as attorney general. Under the Biden administration, the Education Department has forgiven $165.5 billion in student debt for nearly 5 million Americans. 5. Ms. Harris has advocated for investments to address the nation's maternal health crisis and reduce health inequities. In 2022, she unveiled the administration's Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. 6. In April, Ms. Harris announced two final rules that set minimum staffing requirements for long-term care facilities and at-home services, and require facilities to have a registered nurse on site 24/7. If you were to follow Lorenzo Brown, president and CEO for Orange City, Fla.-based AdventHealth Fish Memorial and the West Volusia market, on LinkedIn, you would see that his posts exhibit a passion and dedication for improved healthcare leadership. His passion has led to increased communication, pay, education and mental health support for employees. These efforts have also helped reduce turnover rates for nurses, something Mr. Brown told Becker's has put AdventHealth on the map as one of the lowest agency rates among the 20 largest health systems in the U.S. Becker's connected with Mr. Brown to learn more about his leadership style and strategies used to improve some of healthcare's biggest challenges. Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length. Question: How has the CEO role evolved over the last three to five years? Lorenzo Brown: In the last five years, we went through a global pandemic, which magnified the importance of collaboration and the value of building relationships with patients and their families, team members and medical staff members, and hospital board members before, during and after challenging situations. During this time, partnerships with local officials and non-profit organizations in the community took on even more significance. Intentional listening and continually testing new, creative solutions in working closely with these groups ultimately helped me be better positioned to meet the needs of our community today with the services we offer, while preparing for tomorrow. Q: What do you think makes a strong CEO? LB: As CEO, I focus on leading with compassion and empathy. Being a leader in health care requires resilience, adaptability, strong communication and a commitment to lifelong learning. It is about balancing technical expertise with empathy and helping to inspire our teams toward a shared vision. Our vision is to be known as a preeminent, faith-based, consumer-focused organization that helps those we care for feel whole. A significant way we will reach this vision is by providing uncommon compassionate care in an environment focused on ensuring the highest level of patient safety. Q: As an industry leader, how do you ensure that your employees feel seen and heard? LB: We prioritize regular, open communication with our team members and physicians at all levels. This includes town hall meetings, one-on-one sessions, and anonymous feedback channels to ensure everyone has a voice. I regularly and purposefully visit units throughout the hospital, connecting on a one-to-one basis with team members and physicians to hear directly about their experiences. We also host regular recognition events, including annual service awards where we come together to celebrate and recognize our team many of whom have chosen to stay with us for decades. Q: What strategies have you implemented as a leader to combat these issues? LB: At AdventHealth we see our teams for who they are people, caring for people. Hearing directly from team members about their needs and working together to make meaningful changes is paramount to our success. Florida is the fastest-growing state in the U.S., and that is something we are certainly experiencing in West Volusia County. As our communities grow, so does the need for more caregivers. To support the sustainability of the local health care workforce, our team looked for creative and innovative ways to enhance the entire nursing experience and bring even more clinicians to the area so we can continue to deliver on our promise of providing high-quality, compassionate care. To address recruitment and retention, we enhanced our benefits package and career development opportunities to include tuition reimbursement, mentorship programs and clear pathways for advancement within the organization. We created opportunities to hear directly from our nursing teams about their needs and worked with them to make meaningful changes throughout the Central and East Florida area, including: 1. Pay: More than $100 million invested in nursing pay and bonus initiatives 2. Education: Nearly $40 million provided in tuition assistance for all team members since 2020 3. Mental health support: AdventHealth began offering resources for all team members companywide to have 24/7 access to mental health professionals and on-site, hospital-based mental health consultants. 4. Work intensity: We recruited 4,110 patient care technicians and 930 licensed practical nurses since 2020 to ensure registered nurses have the support they need to focus on our most acute patients and practice at the top of their license. AdventHealth Fish Memorial was also among the first in our area to pilot virtual nurses to assist bedside nurses with admissions and discharges in inpatient units and the ER. These combined efforts contributed to our Florida facilities in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties reducing the number of external agency nurses by an impressive 83%, reducing turnover by 22% and reducing travel nurses by 39%. Cross-market mergers and acquisitions are becoming more prominent as health systems diversify their portfolios, strengthen bargaining power and pursue further economies of scale amid challenging financial headwinds. The latest example of this trend is Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System's proposed merger with Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health. The transaction would create a 56-hospital system with two fully integrated health plans and more than 56,000 employees. A combined Sanford and Marshfield would be slightly smaller in size to Advocate Health, a 69-hospital system formed by the combination of Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium and Advocate Aurora, dually headquartered in Milwaukee and Downers Grove, Ill., in 2022. Cross-market mergers such as these suggest that larger systems are needed to provide care and offset the power of the payers in the current environment. Health system mergers are increasingly about leverage when negotiating with payers, rather than significant cost savings or increasing market share. In January, St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare and Kansas City, Mo.-based Saint Luke's Health System merged into a 28-hospital system. The transaction was not about reducing costs since the two systems have been part of a buying collective for a decade - and not about a rapid gain in market share, since St. Luke's and BJC will largely stick to their respective areas, Charlie Shields, CEO of Kansas City, Mo.-based University Health, told the Kansas City Business Journal. Instead, he argues, the merger, and similar ones like it, aims to leverage a better seat at the table when negotiating care rates with payers. On the acquisition side, health systems are also pursuing opportunities to expand into new markets or states. Greenville, S.C.-based Prisma Health aims to enter a new state by acquiring Blount Memorial Hospital, a 304-bed community hospital in Maryville, Tenn. Prisma President and CEO Mark O'Halla said the deal represents an "exciting new chapter" as healthcare shifts to a "multi-region model" and the number of systems operating in multiple states rapidly increases. On July 1, Kansas City-based University of Kansas Health System acquired its first hospital in Missouri. Liberty (Mo.) Hospital "was a perfect opportunity to partner with another independent hospital in a prime area for our health system," KU Health President and CEO Bob Page told Becker's. "We also have that cultural compatibility, so it was pretty much a no-brainer for us to pursue." "Cross-market" mergers involve health systems in different geographic areas, maintaining competition for patients since they serve distinct populations. However, they can affect competition if the merging systems share payer and employer customers and compete to be in the same networks. The Federal Trade Commission has included cross-market theory questions in merger investigations but has not formally challenged such mergers based on this theory of competitive harm, according to McDermott Will and Emery. Two nurses at an Ascension hospital in Michigan have filed unfair labor practice charges against their local union, claiming union leaders threatened to terminate them and others if they did not agree to have dues deducted directly from their paychecks. The National Labor Relations Board is investigating charges filed by two nurses at Ascension Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc Township, Mich. They claim officials at Teamsters Local 332 threatened them, "and similarly situated employees with termination of their employment if they refused to complete and submit a dues check-off authorization by July 12th," according to a July 19 news release from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which filed the charges on behalf of the nurses. "Ascension is aware of the recent unfair labor practice filing against Teamsters Local 332 by two Genesys nurses," a spokesperson for the St. Louis-based system said in a statement to Becker's. "This is a matter between union members and their chosen representation. We continue to focus on providing quality care to our patients." Michigan's Right to Work law was repealed in February, and the decision gave unions legal authority to require workers to pay dues or fees as a condition of employment. Federal law still prohibits requiring workers to authorize direct deduction of dues from their paychecks, including in states without Right to Work protections. Catherine Leavy, 37, was sentenced in federal court for calling in a hoax bomb threat against Boston Children's Hospital in 2022. Ms. Leavy received a sentence of three years' probation from U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin, according to a July 22 news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Ms. Leavy had pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of making a false bomb threat and one count of intentionally conveying false or misleading information about a bomb being en route to Boston Children's Hospital. The incident, which occurred on Aug. 30, 2022, led to a significant law enforcement response and lockdown of the hospital and its surroundings. The bomb threat was received via a phone call in which the caller stated, "There is a bomb on the way to the hospital. You better evacuate everybody, you sickos." A thorough investigation by law enforcement, which included tracking subscriber and call detail records, determined that the phone used to make the threat was registered to Ms. Leavy. Additionally, cell tower data indicated that the phone was near her residence at the time the threat was made. The investigation and subsequent search of Ms. Leavy's residence on Sept. 15, 2022, led to the recovery of the phone used in the threat. During an on-scene interview, Ms. Leavy admitted to making the bomb threat but claimed she had no actual intention of bombing the hospital. According to the release, she also expressed her disapproval of Boston Children's Hospital multiple times during the interview. The threat came amid a period when law enforcement was closely monitoring threats against Boston Children's Hospital and its employees, partly due to the hospital's gender multispecialty service program, which focuses on gender-diverse and transgender adolescents. People addicted to work are more likely than their peers to report health complaints which is only one cost of workaholism, The Washington Post reported July 21. These work "addicts" often have unhealthy habits, including excessive drinking, sleep deprivation and a lack of exercise, Malissa Clark, PhD, industrial-organizational psychologist at the University of Georgia in Athens, told the Post. Workaholism is not a term for those who work long days because they love their jobs, nor does it define temporary bursts of work activity to advance careers or adhere to car or house payments, according to Toon Taris, PhD, a behavioral scientist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. There's a sharp line between enjoyment and addiction. It's the work email checks after a shift ends, the guilt experienced when not working, the extra hours that feel compulsory. About 15% of the workforce are workaholics, according to a 2023 study. Nine things to know about workaholism, according to research compiled by the Post: A 2023 lawsuit filed by Boise, Idaho-based Neuroscience Associates alleging antitrust violations by St. Luke's Health System has been dismissed. The practice's lawsuit honed in on St. Luke's "24/7/365 call coverage", which requires independent neurosurgeons to do on-call shifts as part of maintaining staff privileges, according to the July 16 order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. The health system paid neurosurgeons for their on-call coverage until April 2018, and at the time two Neuroscience Associates surgeons relinquished their privileges. In August 2022 a new on-call policy required a Neuroscience Associates surgeon to be continuously on-call even though a competing practice, Northwest Neurosurgery Associates was also on-call, court documents said. Neuroscience Associates challenged the 24/7/365 on-call coverage policy under state and federal antitrust laws and alleged "disproportionately favorable treatment of Northwest related to emergency on-call coverage responsibilities" that affected the practice's ability to grow its business. The order from Idaho court dismissed the lawsuit for reasons including that Neuroscience Associates "have not alleged an antitrust injury" and that the practice "fall[s] short of showing exclusionary conduct." Neuroscience Associates has until Aug. 15 to file amended litigation. New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery appointed new medical director roles in Florida. Sheeraz Qureshi, MD, is chief medical officer of HSS Florida and succeeds Douglas Padgett, MD, according to a July 22 news release. He has been co-chief of HSS Spine and holds the Patty and Jay Baker Chair in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. In the expanded role, he will oversee clinical operations and quality for HSS' Florida presence and work with HSS Florida CEO Tara McCoy to grow access to care. "I am honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with a dynamic Florida clinical team and staff who are dedicated to improving orthopedic care in the communities we serve," Dr. Qureshi said in the release. David Backstein, MD, is medical director of HSS at NCH in Naples, Fla. He is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement. He succeeds David Helfet, MD, who will continue to serve as Founding Medical Director of HSS at NCH. "Fostering a stronger collaboration between HSS and NCH clinicians, researchers, and industry partners to find clinical solutions for patients in our Florida communities will be a primary focus for me in my new role," Dr. Backstein said in the release. A Belfast woman has received the highest equal pay claim in the history of Northern Ireland after she discovered a pay discrepancy between herself and her male colleagues. Shona Boyle, an employee of Caterpillar NI, has been awarded 305,000 after she launched a claim in July 2018, when she realised there were significant pay differences between herself and three male colleagues who were doing the same job. She then raised the issue directly with Caterpillar NI where she received unsatisfactory justifications for the pay difference and Ms Boyle firmly believed that her lower pay was due to gender discrimination. She then approached McCartan Turkington Breen for legal assistance with her claim heard between November 2022 and March 2023 following delays due to the pandemic. The case included compelling witness evidence and a detailed forensic financial loss report prepared by Sumer Accountants NI Ltd. Today, its been revealed an Employment Tribunal overwhelmingly determined that Ms Boyle was indeed performing the same job as her male colleagues who were paid more, and that the pay disparity was due to her being a woman. Consequently, Ms Boyle was awarded back pay for the period she was underpaid and ensured equal pay and benefits moving forward. John McShane, solicitor with Macartan Turkington Breen, said: We are immensely proud of Shona for standing up for what is right and for having the courage to pursue this claim. This ruling not only vindicates her position but also sends a powerful message that gender pay discrimination will not be tolerated. We hope this case inspires others to come forward and seek the equality they deserve. In a statement, Ms Boyle said she was looking forward to continuing her job and thanked her legal team. Seeking legal assistance was a last resort, after receiving unsatisfactory justifications for the pay difference from Caterpillar NI. I am looking forward to continuing to do the job that I love. My thanks to John McShane, solicitor at MTB, for his clear, concise and professional advice and Clarissa Ingham also of MTB. Caterpillar NI has been contacted for a response. News Catch Up: Monday 22nd July Vice President Kamala Harris speaks from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, July 22, 2024, during an event with NCAA college athletes. This is her first public appearance since President Joe Biden endorsed her to be the next presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Alex Brandon/AP WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 21: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an NCAA championship teams celebration on the South Lawn of the White House on July 22, 2024 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Joe Biden abandoned his campaign for a second term after weeks of pressure from fellow Democrats to withdraw and just months ahead of the November election, throwing his support behind Harris. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Andrew Harnik/Getty Images WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 22: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrives for an NCAA championship teams celebration on the South Lawn of the White House on July 22, 2024 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Joe Biden abandoned his campaign for a second term after weeks of pressure from fellow Democrats to withdraw and just months ahead of the November election, throwing his support behind Harris. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Andrew Harnik/Getty Images A growing number of Texas delegates to the Democratic convention next month are rallying around Vice President Kamala Harris to be the partys presidential nominee after President Joe Bidens withdrawal from the race. Roughly two dozen of the states 273 delegates have publicly endorsed Harris bid for the presidency since Sunday. While most of the states delegates have not yet commented, none have advanced a specific candidate other than Harris, and many of Harris would-be challengers have already fallen in line behind her. State Sen. Royce West of Dallas, who also serves as a national delegate, said he already senses a strong leaning toward supporting Kamala, especially as she racks up additional endorsements. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He added that unity will be very important coming out of the convention, not only to attract Democrats but also disenfranchised Republicans and independents who want to see democracy survive in this country. We've got to put the A team on the field, West said. We've got to be ready to make certain that we win, and the only way to do that is with unity." The Texas delegates have a call scheduled for Monday night to discuss their status and next steps. Texas is expected to play a major role in the selection, with the third-highest number of delegates behind California and New York. A majority vote of the 3,949 delegates is required to win the nomination on the first ballot next month in Chicago. If no candidate secures a majority, subsequent rounds of voting take place until someone does, with all 4,696 delegates and superdelegates voting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio, the leader of the Democrats in the Texas House and a national delegate, said he, too, was supporting Harris and didn't view it as a tough call since Biden quickly endorsed her Sunday. "I really dont see any room for latitude or discussion. We dont have time for that," Martinez Fischer said. "So we are going to move forward with our vice president, and I hope that is a sentiment shared by my fellow delegates." Harris raised roughly $50 million Sunday after Biden dropped out of the race the most of any single day in this election cycle and the party's "entire reelection infrastructure is transferring to her." All but four of Texas 12 congressional delegates have voiced their support for Harris including Lizzie Fletcher of Houston. I have faith in her and her ability to lead and unite Americans now and in the future, Fletcher said in a statement Sunday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin, who early this month was the first Democrat in the U.S. House to publicly call for Biden to step down, urged an open selection process while noting that Harris was clearly the leading candidate. We should be open to all talented individuals who wish to be considered, Doggett said in a series of posts on X. Biden backed Harris to be the nominee less than an hour after announcing his withdrawal Sunday afternoon, saying that choosing her as his running mate was the best decision Ive made. He urged Democrats to come together and beat Trump. While each delegate has an individual vote for the nominee, state delegations often pool their votes and cast them behind a single candidate, said Amy Dacey, former CEO of the Democratic National Convention. Harris strong early support bodes well for her, Dacey added, and time is not on the side of anyone who might wish to challenge her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If someone was interested in challenging her, they would have to get in pretty soon, she said, noting that challengers would need to collect 300 petition signatures to be eligible, plus they would be contending with Harris significant campaigning and fundraising advantages. There seems to be a consensus among the Texas delegation for Harris, said Gabrien Gregory, a delegate from San Antonio. Based on the reports hed seen, about a quarter of the national delegates had already said they'll get behind Harris. Gregory said he'd spoken with many other delegates, both in Texas and nationally, and none have said they support a candidate other than the vice president. I think its more than likely that were already there," he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The companys two NI stores have not been included in a sale to the Tapi Group Administrators have been appointed to the company Two Carpetright shops in Northern Ireland look set for closure after they were not included in a company-wide sale of its stores. The flooring and bed company announced on Monday that administrators PwC had been appointed and had completed a sale of 54 stores and two logistics hubs to CWHP Ltd, part of the Tapi Group. The transaction includes the transfer of 308 employees, but the companys two sites here in Belfast and Newtownabbey have not been included in the list of stores making up the sale. Founded in 1988, Carpetright has operated across the UK and Ireland, with its headquarters in Purfleet, Essex. Before the sale, it boasted 273 stores and 1,898 employees. Challenging trading conditions attributed to changing customer preferences and a drop in home improvement spending post-pandemic have placed the company under pressure in recent years. The business was also hit by a cyber attack in April 2024, which left it unable to trade for a period of time. Under the terms of the deal, administrators will retain employees at the companys head office for a short time to support winding down operations. Some 1,108 individuals employed at sites not included in the transaction, as well as those providing in-home services, have been made redundant. The company said the decision was taken with deep regret. "The administrators are working closely with the Redundancy Payments Service to ensure that those affected receive their statutory entitlements as soon as possible, said a spokesperson. Administrators have been appointed to the company "Tapi Group has shown a strong dedication to assisting affected Carpetright employees, by collaborating with other retailers to ensure their job applications receive priority and funding workshops aimed at improving employability skills. The administrators will assist in facilitating this. Zelf Hussain, joint administrator, said: Carpetright has fallen victim to challenges facing many retailers, especially those selling big ticket items. "A mixture of factors, including a big reduction in consumer spending due to cost of living pressures, lower home sales and a debilitating cyber attack made it impossible for the business to continue in its current form. "The sale of some stores and the brand to Tapi has allowed over 300 jobs to be saved, and gives the Carpetright brand the chance to continue and flourish under its new ownership. "However, it is deeply saddening that for the remainder of the workforce there will be redundancies. We are committed to helping those affected and will make sure redundancy claims are processed as quickly as possible. "In collaboration with Tapi, we will assist in efforts to help individuals find new jobs elsewhere. "We know this is an uncertain time for many of those affected and want to thank all the staff for the support they have given the company in these difficult circumstances. Any outstanding orders placed with stores not included in the transaction are unable to be fulfilled, with customers affected being advised to contact their payment card provider about seeking a refund. Information on outstanding orders from stores included in the transaction is available on the companys website. The government has ruled out offering financial support to Harland and Wolff because of a very substantial risk that taxpayer money would be lost. In a statement released on Monday, Labour business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said that following a review, the government has decided against providing a guarantee to bail out the ailing shipyard. 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. In the statement Mr Reynolds said: While such a decision is not easy, it is my assessment, following extensive engagement by my officials with market players, that HM Government funding would not necessarily secure our objectives and there is a very substantial risk that taxpayer money would be lost. The government believes, in this instance, that the market is best placed to resolve the commercial matters faced by Harland and Wolff. Mr Reynolds emphasised that the government is committed to supporting UK shipbuilding. The Belfast-based shipyard company, famous for building the ill-fated Titanic, said on Friday that its application for a 200 million Export Development Guarantee had been rejected. The company, which has substantial debts, is now discussing an emergency loan with its existing lender. Harland and Wolff, whose twin cranes Samson and Goliath define the Belfast skyline, had been contracted to build three fleet ships for the Royal Navy as part of a 1.6bn contract. It employs 1,500 employees across the UK, with 500 based in Belfast. Last year, the shipyard delivered its first ship in 20 years as it was contracted to build 23 barges for a London-based waste management firm, Cory. East Belfast MP, Gavin Robinson, told BBC News NIs Good Morning Ulster that the contract still puts the shipyard in a much better place than it was just five years ago, when it went into administration. Meanwhile Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: Harland & Wolffs workforce and the shipyards they work in are of critical strategic importance. "Five years after Unite members secured Harland and Wolffs survival in Belfast, the political focus must now be on attracting stakeholders who are committed to building a long-term future, rather than those looking to turn a quick profit. I have been very clear with ministers that our union will leave no stone unturned to defend these vital assets and Unite has been engaging positively with senior government officials in order to ensure that this happens. Matt Roberts from the GMB union added: These are worrying times for workers and their families in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the South West. These yards have been at the heart of UK manufacturing for centuries - from building the Titanic to the ships that defeated the Armada. Now they are critical to our future security in building the Fleet Solid Support ships for our navy and in providing the renewables infrastructure needed to reach net zero. These yards must be saved and their long-term sustainable future secured. Flat-pack furniture fans can now click and collect their Ikea orders at two Tesco stores in Northern Ireland. It means customers can pick up furniture orders at their local Tesco instead of having to drive to the nearest Ikea store. The only Ikea store in Northern Ireland is at Holywood Exchange, on the outskirts of Belfast. Dungannon and Limavady will be home to the two new Tesco pick-up points, as Ikea also celebrates the opening of its 100th UK click and collect location. The Swedish furniture giant hopes to open another 100 within the next year. Jakob Bertilsson, country customer fulfilment manager for Ikea UK, called it an exciting moment in their journey to make their stores more accessible. He said: As we continue to see a shift in our visitors wants to shop even more conveniently, we need to constantly develop and improve with better and more affordable services. Our ambitions to double our Click & Collect offering, combined with the strengthening of services such as Ikea Home Delivery, means we are now closer than ever to people in all parts of the UK. The retailer said its online business has grown rapidly and now almost 40% of total sales are done there. It wants more than 90% of UK shoppers to be within five miles of an Ikea collection point within the next year. Simon Williams, Tescos assets and estates director, said: Were always looking for ways to serve our customers better and help make their shop even more convenient. We are pleased to be working with Ikea to give their customers the option to collect orders from more of our stores. We are proud of this 100th Click & Collect point milestone and hope this continues to improve the shopping experience for Tesco and Ikea customers. Ikea click and collect was first piloted in 2022 before being brought out nationwide the following year. The service has become popular, with nine out of 10 customers approving of it, according to Ikea. In 2023, the company also started offering free small parcel deliveries on orders over 60 and reduced prices for furniture delivery to improve its home delivery service. Ikea also offers collections at DPD pickup points and customers can currently click and collect at the Ikea store in Belfast for free. The company is piloting branded Ikea lockers in Tesco stores in other parts of the UK this summer. Customers can use the click and collect service by placing an order on Ikea.com, using the app or with the assistance of an Ikea worker either remotely or in-store. Delivery is free if the order is over 100, or 5 otherwise. Orders can be made from next-day and collected at a local participating Tesco store within one of two daily collection windows. The two new mobile pick-up points in Northern Ireland are at Tesco Dungannon Superstore, Dungannon, BT71 and Tesco Limavady Roevalley Superstore, Limavady, BT49. You can locate your closest Ikea Click and Collect points on their website or on the mobile app. Leading NI GP dreading Monday after tech chaos The chair of the NIs BMA GP committee said they had received no technical support on Friday. Dr Frances O'Hagan James McNaney Mon 22 Jul 2024 at 07:50 One of Northern Irelands most senior GPs said that she is dreading work on Monday and called for patience from the public as staff deal with the aftermath of a worldwide computer glitch that struck on Friday. Danny Creggan said that many elements of the original station would remain. Some of the people behind legendary pirate radio station Energy 106 have spoken of their excitement as it prepares to return to the airwaves this time legally. 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? Coffee is one of the fastest-changing consumer markets Coffee is one of the fastest-changing consumer markets, and the options for a cup of instant joe at home are growing. A big innovation in the coffee at home market has been instant Americano-style. Weve come a long way since Nescafe Gold Blend was the most sophisticated instant on the market. The most prevalent brand in the premium instant category is Nescafe Azera Americano, though there are many others from manufacturers such as Kenco and Lavazza. Azera is pitched as a high-end product, described by Nescafe as loved by urban millennials, and the price reflects that. Its made of blended Arabica and robusta coffee beans and manufactured to have a layer of crema on top, just like a barista-made Americano. But prices might make you wince. While a 100g jar of Nescafe Gold Blend is 3.45 in Tesco, its charging over 90% more for a smaller, 90g container of Azera at 6.50. Which supermarket is brewing up NIs best bargain on premium instant coffee? However, Tesco is offering the bumper 140g jar of Azera for 5.75, so thats a significant saving. And Co-op is hot on Tescos heels, also selling 140g of Azera for 5.75. So if youre shopping in either of those locations, dont get caught out buying a 90g jar and check if the 140g offer is still on. Sainsburys does match Tesco on price for its 90g jar, but its 140g tub is 42% more expensive at 8.15. Co-op is charging 25p more for its 90g tin, at 6.75. Dunnes had the highest price for 90g of Azera of the three large supermarkets weve surveyed at 6.80, though thats not significantly more than the others. However, at 8.75, Dunnes 140g tub is over 50% more expensive than the Co-op and Tesco offer. Of all the retailers, Spar charges the highest price for 90g of Azera, at 7.40. It didnt have a 140g jar on sale when we visited. And the prices of Azera and other coffee products, whether to drink at home or when youre out and about, arent going to be dropping. The chairman of Lavazza, best known for its coffee beans and ground coffee, has warned that the industry is reeling from unprecedented supply-side shocks. Raw material costs, disappointing harvests and a security crisis affecting shipping through the Suez Canal are among the factors that have driven up prices. Robusta beans recently hit an all-time high of $4,667 (approximately 3,612) a metric ton on the London-based ICE Futures Europe market. Giuseppe Lavazza predicted that trend was likely to continue throughout the year, thus driving up prices of on-the-shelf coffee. Speaking at Wimbledon earlier this month, where the company was a sponsor, Mr Lavazza said: The coffee supply chain has been dramatically under pressure for the past three years because of the price of raw materials. He added that this would increase the price of coffee for UK consumers between 20% and 25% higher in the period from the start of 2023 and the end of 2024. People are going to have accept that the price of coffee is going to get more expensive in the short-term, he said. We can expect premium instants to reflect that. The number of young people leaving school with top exam grades is falling in Northern Ireland. There are also signs that the trend for young people to opt for a university elsewhere - the so-called brain drain - is starting to reverse. Fewer school leavers also headed to university, with more going straight into the workplace. The details emerge in a Department of Education report looking at choices made by school leavers after the 2022/23 academic year. It shows over two-thirds (68.2%) of grammar school pupils opt for university. Overall, 41.5% of over 23,000 school leavers went on to university, a significant drop from the 47.9% just three years ago. Only 21.4% of non-grammar pupils followed the same path, with almost twice as many (40.4%) heading to further education colleges. Overall, 30.3% chose the further education route up from 27.4% the year before. A significantly higher number of Catholic pupils (44.7%) extended their studies at university compared to 39.2% from the Protestant community. Fewer Catholics became unemployed on leaving school 10.9% compared to 11.6% of Protestants. Overall, though, the trend for young people heading off to university elsewhere is changing, with more continuing their studies in Northern Ireland. Some 77.9% of school leavers remained here to attend university in 2022/23, up from 73.1% in 2021/22, while 20.4% moved to Great Britain down from 25.2%. Just 1.7% go elsewhere. School leavers who identify as Catholic are much more likely to remain in Northern Ireland if they go on to attend university. Some 82.8% remain here while 15.4% choose to study at other GB universities with 1.8% heading elsewhere. Almost a quarter of young Protestant school leavers head to institutions in Great Britain (24.1%) with 74.9% choosing to attend a university in Northern Ireland. The statistics also show that females are still leaving school with higher grades than their male classmates. Some 79.4% of female school leavers achieve at least five GCSEs (including English and maths) compared to 72.9% of males achieving that standard. Overall, the GCSE results achieved by school leavers across Northern Ireland in 2022/23 were the lowest in the past three years, with 76.1% leaving school with at least five GCSEs that include English and maths. That figure fell from 78% the year before. At 89.8% in 2022/23, the proportion of school leavers achieving at least any five GCSEs at grades A*-C or equivalent has decreased by 2.1 percentage points from 2021/22 (91.9%). Again, pupils attending grammar schools do significantly better, with 96.0% leaving school with at least five GCSEs overall, compared to 61.1% of non-grammar school leavers. What area of Northern Ireland pupils live in can also have a significant impact on their results. The Lisburn and Castlereagh council area leads the way in producing the most pupils leaving with high grades, with some 83.0% achieving five or more GCSEs (including English and maths) and 63.0% leaving with three A-levels to their name. Those living in the Fermanagh and Omagh area also fare well, with 81.0% achieving five GCSEs on leaving school (including English and Maths) and 60.1% gaining three A-levels. The Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area was the only one to see fewer than half of school leavers pass two or more A-levels (47.3%). The area also produced the second lowest number of school leavers with five GCSEs (72.3%), though Belfast pupils fared worse, with 71.7% leaving with five GCSEs (including English and Maths). News Catch Up: Monday 22nd July Stay Well: Why do I have a dowagers hump and what can I do to fix it? Police have confirmed that a man aged in his 70s has died in tragic circumstances on his farm near Dromore in Co Tyrone this weekend. A funeral notice for Mr Harold Gilmore states that he was the devoted father of eight daughters, and also a cherished grandfather. Mr Gilmores farm is located on the Fintona Road in the area and he is understood to have passed away on Saturday evening, following an incident while working with livestock. A PSNI spokesperson said, Police attended a report of a sudden death at the Fintona Road area of Dromore on Saturday, July 20. Enquiries are continuing but at this stage, the death is not being treated as suspicious. The deceased was well known throughout the farming fraternity and beyond. Former councillor Bert Wilson told the Ulster Herald newspaper that the local community had been left reeling by news of Mr Gilmores tragic passing. Its an awful tragedy, he said. Its really sad for the entire family connection. Harold has farmed for a lifetime, and, while he was in his mid seventies, he was in good health. This incident reminds us all of the many dangers of farming. Mr Gilmores funeral notice continues: Everyone is welcome to call at his late home on Monday and Tuesday between 2-9pm. Funeral arrangements to follow: Family flowers only please Donations in Lieu if desired to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children and Belfast City Hospital Renal and Kidney Transplant Unit. News Catch Up: Monday 22nd July Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump stands on stage with former first lady Melania Trump, family members and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance, during the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. Carolyn Kaster/AP The claim: 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. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, will rubber stamp Trumps extreme agenda. She added, Unlike Mike Pence, Vance said he would have carried out Trumps plan to overturn the 2020 election. PolitiFact ruling: Mostly True. 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. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 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. Discussion After losing the 2020 election, Trump and his allies sought to enlist help from state elected officials, Justice Department officials and then-Vice President Mike Pence to stay in office. Trump allies put forward their own slates of alternate electors to sign certificates declaring that Trump 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 a position to vote to accept the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. Vance won the U.S. Senate race in 2022. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 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. 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. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 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 thats what we should have done. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Stephanopoulos said to Vance, So, its 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. Its 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. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Courts, state election officials, including Georgia Republicans, and Trump administration officials 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 Cincinnati Enquirer asked Vance, Do you believe President Joe Biden was legitimately elected in 2020? Vance said, I mean, hes the president, right? He is certainly the legitimate president of the United States. The thing that Ive always said here, and Ill repeat to you, is, Was the election in 2020 free and fair, was it above board? My answer is no, I really dont 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? RTE documentary investigates church handling of claims against late cleric He had no fear of being caught. He thought he could do what he liked, when he liked, how he liked, said Patricia Donovan. Photo: RTE The niece of Bishop Eamonn Casey has spoken on camera for the first time about how she was raped by her uncle when she was aged five. Patricia Donovan, the late bishops niece and one of his accusers, said the sexual abuse continued for years. Bishop Caseys Buried Secrets, which airs tonight on RTE, investigates the Catholic Churchs handling of allegations against the former Bishop of Galway, who died in 2017. Ms Donovan told RTE she felt so absolutely and completely and utterly betrayed by the church she was brought up in. Some of the things he did to me, and where he did them. The horror of being raped by him when I was five, the violence. And it just carried on in that vein, she said in the documentary made in conjunction with the Irish Mail on Sunday. He had no fear of being caught. He thought he could do what he liked, when he liked, how he liked. He was almost, like, incensed that I would dare fight against him, that I would dare try and hurt him, I would dare try and stop him. It didnt make any difference. Ian Elliott, the former chief executive of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, described Bishop Casey as a sexual predator and offender. Mr Elliott told the investigation he found Ms Donovans account of what she has been through entirely credible. The fact of the matter is that individuals have come forward and spoken about numerous sexual activities, some consensual, others not. Many involved very young people, he said. That is wrong and there is no justification for that, and it should have been stopped. Those that have been distressed and hurt should be helped and supported by the church. That is a major priority. Bishop Eamonn Casey. Photo: Brian Arthur/ Press 22 Casey, born in Co Kerry, served as bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh from 1976 to 1992, and was seen as a progressive voice within the church. He resigned in 1992 when it was revealed he had an affair with a young American woman, Annie Murphy, with whom he had a child. He was sent to do missionary work for several years in South America and then ministered in England. In 2019, the Galway Diocese received the allegation of child sexual abuse against Casey from Ms Donovan. However, the diocese also confirmed it had records of five people who had complained of childhood sexual abuse against him at the time. These independent accusations relate to alleged events in every Irish diocese where Casey worked. By early 2006, the Vatican had received at least two allegations of child sexual abuse against him. Bishop Eamonn Casey. Photo: RTE The Vatican has now confirmed for the first time that Casey was formally banned from public ministry in 2007, following allegations, which included his nieces complaint. Despite his resignation in 1992, he remained a bishop until his death and claimed his removal from ministry was unjust. RTEs investigation also revealed how the Limerick diocese paid more than 100,000 in settlement to one of Caseys accusers after his death. Casey consistently denied all the allegations of child sexual abuse made against him and was never prosecuted despite complaints being reported to An Garda Siochana. Bishop Caseys Buried Secrets will air at 9.35pm tonight on RTE One and on the RTE Player Helplines: If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, click here for more information https://www.independent.ie/service/helplines-40487532.html News Catch Up: Monday 22nd July The SNP remains in a strong position despite the general election setback, John Swinney has said as he switches his focus to 2026. The Scottish First Minister said he was deeply concerned about his partys poor electoral performance on July 4, which saw the SNP drop to just nine seats from 48 in 2019. Senior party figures have called for a reset, including former SNP MP Mhairi Black, who urged Mr Swinney to be real and brutal about the challenges his party faces. In one of his first interviews since the election, Mr Swinney told the PA news agency the general election was just a setback and he pledged to win over voters in the 2026 Scottish Parliament vote. He said: The SNP remains in a strong position. Weve lost parliamentary seats thats a setback. But weve got secure foundations and I intend to build on those in advance of the 2026 elections, and to make sure that there is an understanding and an appreciation of the formidable record of the Scottish Government in representing the people of Scotland. Mr Swinney, who was visiting St Fergus Gas Terminal, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, on Monday, added: Im deeply concerned about the implications of the election and the fact that I lost so many experienced and valuable parliamentary colleges. (PA Graphics) I have expressed publicly my sympathy with these individuals and to the staff who have been affected as a consequence. The process of reflection is already under way, with Mr Swinney stating his party would learn lessons. He said: The SNP has got to look long and hard at the election campaign. Thats what were doing just now. Our party executive will consider off of these issues in early August and will reflect on the outcome of the election. Were obviously engaging with party members about all of these questions. Its important that we learn those lessons, identify what the challenges were in the election campaign, and most importantly, remedy those challenges. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met US President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington DC (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Joe Bidens presidency will leave a legacy that extends far beyond America, Sir Keir Starmer said after the US president announced he would not seek a second term in the White House. The Prime Minister said the 81-year-olds decision to abandon his re-election campaign would not have been an easy one. Sir Keir said the US president was a man who, during five decades of service, never lost touch with the concerns of working people and always put his country first. He told MPs: His presidency will leave a legacy that extends far beyond America to freedom and security on this continent. Most of all, of course, in our steadfast resolve to stand by the people of Ukraine. He leaves the Nato alliance stronger than its been for decades. Mr Biden bowed out of the presidential race in response to mounting pressure about his age and his inability to take on Republican rival Donald Trump. The US president backed vice president Kamala Harris to be the Democrat nominee. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met Joe Biden at the Nato summit in Washington (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Sir Keir, who had talks at the White House with Mr Biden earlier this month while in Washington for the Nato summit, earlier told reporters at the Farnborough International Airshow: I respect that decision that he has now made. Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency. He declined to comment on his relationship with Ms Harris who he has never met but insisted the UK would work with whoever became president. Obviously in the first instance, its for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward. It is then for the American people to decide who they want as their president, he said. 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 My approach will be to respect that decision-making and to be clear that we will work with whoever the American people elect into office, as you would expect, particularly given the nature of the special relationship between our two countries, forged in difficult circumstances, endured for years, and very important to me and very important to all American presidents. The US president announced on Sunday he would not seek another term in office, saying it was in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down. He said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. 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 And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as president for the remainder of my term, he said. The decision comes after escalating pressure from Mr Bidens Democratic allies to step aside following his faltering June 27 debate. Mr Bidens term in office ends at noon on January 20 2025. Vice president Ms Harris said she was honoured to have the endorsement of Mr Biden. In a statement, she thanked the US president for his extraordinary leadership and for making a selfless and patriotic act by stepping aside. She said: I am honoured to have the presidents endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak praised Mr Bidens love for America and dedication to service. 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 Mr Sunak said: Our partnership has led to significant achievements, including Aukus, steadfast support for Israel and joint efforts in defending our people from Houthi threats. I wish him all the best. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The US ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley said: In every endeavour, President Biden has demonstrated a profound sense of duty and an unwavering commitment to the common good. His decision not to pursue another term is a selfless act that highlights his dedication to our country. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: I predicted this would happen in September 2023. Whoever they pick, Trump will win in November. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve And never was! 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 He added: We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Former president Barack Obama praised Mr Biden as a patriot of the highest order, saying the US president had put American interests ahead of his own as he decided not to seek re-election. But he stopped short of endorsing Ms Harris as other senior Democrats have. He said: I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support. US President Joe Biden has stepped aside following concerns about his fitness (Andrew Harnik/AP) Democratic politicians hailed US President Joe Bidens historic decision on Sunday not to seek re-election, praising him for putting his country and his party before himself. Republicans called on him to resign from office, saying that if he could not run for another term, office, then he is unable to serve as president. Mr Bidens announcement came after more than two weeks of Democrats urging him to withdraw from the race. Nearly three dozen lawmakers had publicly called on him to end his re-election bid. Others had voiced concerns privately about what the ramifications would be for down-ballot Democrats if he remained in the race. When the president heeded those concerns, Democrats called it a selfless move. Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being. His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. Republicans have seized on Mr Bidens poor debate performance last month to batter him as incapable of serving four more years. Now that he is out of the presidential election, many said he should resign his office, too. If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough, House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement. If the Democratic party has deemed Joe Biden unfit to run for re-election, hes certainly unfit to control our nuclear codes. Biden must step down from office immediately, tweeted Minnesota Republican Representative Tom Emmer. Donald Trumps running mate, JD Vance, who was initially expected to face off against Kamala Harris in a debate, linked her on Sunday to all Mr Bidens policies. 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 Mr Vance said Ms Harris co-signed Mr Bidens border and climate policies and that those drove up prices for housing and groceries. She owns all of these failures, Mr Vance said on X, formerly Twitter. President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoevers at the top of the Democrat ticket, the Ohio senator said. Bring it on. Mr Bidens former chief of staff, Ron Klain, called on Democrats to quickly unite around Vice President Kamala Harris as the natural successor to Mr Biden, saying on social media that its time to end the political fantasy games and unite behind the only veteran of a national campaign. Lets get real and win in November, Mr Klain said. But in their initial statements, many Democrats made no mention of Ms Harris. Some are calling for an open process in selecting the next Democratic presidential nominee. Mr Schumer and Senator Dick Durbin, the top two Senate Democrats, did not offer support for Ms Harris. Now the Democratic Party must unite behind a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump and keep America moving in the right direction. I will do everything in my power to help that effort, Mr Durbin said. Rep Lloyd Doggett of Texas, the first House Democrat to call on Mr Biden to step down, said once again President Biden comes through for America, putting country over ego in a way that Donald Trump never could. He said that while Ms Harris is clearly the leading candidate to replace Mr Biden, we should be open to all talented individuals who wish to be considered. Many Democrats did quickly assemble behind Ms Harris. The leaders of two of the largest Democratic House caucuses, Representatives Pramila Jayapal, chair of the left-wing Congressional Progressive Caucus and Annie Kuster, chair of the moderate New Democrat Coalition, endorsed Ms Harris on Sunday afternoon. The endorsements were part of an effort among Democrats in Congress to quickly assemble behind a candidate and try to put behind them the weeks of intraparty tension that have marked the aftermath of the June 27 debate. Millions of Americans cast their ballots for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the primary. Vice President Harris has proven time and time again that she can prosecute the case against Donald Trump and campaign vigorously for Democrats down the ballot, Ms Jayapal said in a statement. The Congressional Black Caucus also, through its political action committee, gave its support to Ms Harris as the next Democratic nominee. The black caucus had stood by Mr Biden since the debate last month even as many other Democrats called for him to step aside. Several Democratic senators individually weighed in with support for Ms Harris, including Patty Murray of Washington, Mark Warner of Virginia, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii. The reaction to Mr Bidens announcement reverberated around the county and the world.Then-president Barack Obama presents then-vice president Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in 2017 (Susan Walsh/AP) Former President Barack Obama saluted his vice president of eight years. Joe Biden has been one of Americas most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, weve also been reminded again that hes a patriot of the highest order, Mr Obama said. Internationally, Israels president, Isaac Herzog, offered heartfelt thanks to Mr Biden for supporting the Israeli people over his long career. Mr Herzog wrote on social media that Mr Biden was the first American president to visit Israel at a time of war, after the October 7 Hamas attack and called Mr Biden a symbol of the unbreakable bond between our two peoples. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked Mr Biden for his leadership and said the alliance between their two countries has never been stronger. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged the difficult decision Mr Biden had to make and said: Poland, America and the world are safer and democracy stronger because of the US president. Joe Bidens withdrawal from the US presidential race injects greater uncertainty into the world at a time when western leaders are grappling with wars in Ukraine and Gaza, a more assertive China in Asia and the rise of the far right in Europe. After his announcement, messages of support and gratitude for his years of service poured in from near and far. During a five-decade career in politics, he has developed extensive personal relationships with multiple foreign leaders that none of the potential replacements on the Democratic ticket can match. The scope of foreign policy challenges facing the next president makes clear how consequential what happens in Washington is for the rest of the planet. Heres a look at some of them. Israel With Vice President Kamala Harris being eyed as a potential replacement for Mr Biden, Israelis are scrambling to understand what her candidacy would mean for their country as it faces increasing global isolation over its military campaign against Hamas. Israels left-wing Haaretz daily newspaper ran a story scrutinising Ms Harriss record of support for Israel, pointing to her reputation as Mr Bidens bad cop who has vocally admonished Israel for its offensive in Gaza. In recent months, she has gone further than Mr Biden in calling for a ceasefire, denouncing Israels invasion of Rafah and expressing horror over the civilian death toll in Gaza. With Biden leaving, Israel has lost perhaps the last Zionist president, said Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul general in New York. A new Democratic candidate will upend the dynamic. Mr Bidens defence of Israel since Hamass October 7 attack has its roots in his half-century of support for the country as a senator, vice president and president. Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant thanked him for his unwavering support of Israel over the years. Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised Mr Biden as a symbol of the unbreakable bond between our two peoples and a true ally of the Jewish people. Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2023 (Evan Vucci/AP) There was no immediate reaction from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an ally of former president Donald Trump whose history of cordial relations with Mr Biden has come under strain during the Israel-Hamas war. Ukraine Any Democratic candidate would be likely to continue Mr Bidens legacy of military support for Ukraine, but frustration has grown in Ukraine and Europe over the slow pace of US aid and restrictions on the use of western weapons. Most Europeans realise that Ukraine is increasingly going to be their burden, said Sudha David-Wilp, director of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund, a research institute. Everyone is trying to get ready for all the possible outcomes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he respected the tough but strong decision by Mr Biden to drop out of the campaign, and thanked him for his help in preventing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin from occupying our country. Mr Trump has promised to end Russias war on Ukraine in one day if he is elected a prospect that has raised fears in Ukraine that Russia might be allowed to keep the territory it occupies. His vice presidential pick, JD Vance, is among Congresss most vocal opponents of US aid for Ukraine and has further raised the stakes for Kyiv. JD Vance with Donald Trump at a campaign rally (Evan Vucci/AP) Russia has dismissed the importance of the presidential race, insisting that no matter what happens, Moscow will press on in Ukraine. China In recent months, both Mr Biden and Mr Trump have tried to show voters who can best stand up to Beijings growing military strength and belligerence and protect US businesses and workers from low-priced Chinese imports. Mr Biden has hiked tariffs on electric vehicles from China, and Mr Trump has promised to implement tariffs of 60% on all Chinese products. Mr Trumps America First doctrine exacerbated tensions with Beijing, but disputes with the geopolitical rival and economic colossus over wars, trade, technology and security continued into Mr Bidens term. Chinas official reaction to the presidential race has been careful. The US elections are US internal politics. I have no comment on this, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. The official Xinhua news agency treated the story of Mr Bidens decision as relatively minor. Iran With Tehrans proxies across the Middle East increasingly entangled in the Israel-Hamas war, the US faces a region in disarray. The Israeli army struck several Houthi targets in western Yemen over the weekend (AP) Yemens Iran-backed Houthis struck Tel Aviv for the first time last week, prompting retaliatory Israeli strikes inside war-torn Yemen. Simmering tensions and cross-border attacks between Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and the Israeli military have raised fears of an all-out regional conflagration. Hamas, which also receives support from Iran, continues to fight Israel nine months into a war that has killed 38,000 Palestinians and displaced over 80% of Gazas population. The US and its allies have accused Iran of expanding its nuclear programme and enriching uranium to an unprecedented 60% level, near-weapons-grade levels. After then-president Trump withdrew from Tehrans landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2018, Mr Biden said he wanted to reverse his predecessors hawkish anti-Iran stance, but the administration has maintained severe economic sanctions against Tehran and overseen failed attempts to renegotiate the agreement. The sudden death of Ebrahim Raisi the supreme leaders hardline protege in a helicopter crash vaulted a new reformist to the presidency in Iran, generating new opportunities and risks. Masoud Pezeshkian has said he wants to help Iran open up to the world but has maintained a defiant tone against the US. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani brushed off Mr Bidens withdrawal, saying: To us, the coming and going of governments and persons on top of the US administration is not important on its own. What can change the atmosphere of relations is a fundamental change in this hostile policy against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Europe and Nato Many Europeans were happy to see Mr Trump go after his years of disparaging the EU and undermining Nato. His dismissive attitude towards European allies in last months presidential debate did nothing to ease those concerns. Mr Biden has supported close US relations with bloc leaders. After his decision to bow out of the race, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called his choice probably the most difficult one in your life. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he respected the decision based on what he believes is in the best interests of the American people. Irish premier Simon Harris called Mr Biden a proud American with an Irish soul. The question of whether Nato can maintain its momentum in supporting Ukraine and checking the ambitions of other authoritarian states hangs in the balance of this presidential election, analysts say. They dont want to see Donald Trump as president. So theres quite a bit of relief but also quite a bit of nervousness about Mr Bidens decision to drop out, said Jeremy Shapiro, research director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Like many in the United States, but perhaps more so, they are really quite confused. Mexico The close relationship between Mexico and the US has been marked in recent years by disagreements over trade, energy and climate change. Since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took power in 2018, both countries have found common ground on migration, with Mexico making it more difficult for migrants to cross its country to the US border and Washington not pressing on other issues. The Lopez Obrador administration kept that policy while Mr Trump was president and continued it into Mr Bidens term. On Friday, Mexicos president called Mr Trump a friend and said he would write to him to warn against pledging to close the border or blaming migrants for bringing drugs into the US. I am going to prove to him that migrants dont carry drugs to the United States, he said, adding that closing the border wont solve anything, and anyway, it cant be done. President Joe Biden speaks to the media as he arrives to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, last week. AP Vice President Kamala Harris has announced that she would seek the Democratic nomination for president following Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 race and endorse her. "I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination," Harris said in a statement on Sunday. Joe Biden announced he will not be standing for re-election in the upcoming American presidential campaign at around 6.46pm (GMT) on Sunday. The current US President ended his re-election campaign via a statement posted on social media, saying "it is in the best interest of my party and the country. "It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President, he wrote, addressing the American people. "And while it as been my intention to seek re election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term. He backed his Vice President as his replacement. "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And its been the best decision Ive made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats its time to come together and beat Trump. Lets do this, he wrote on X.. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content More of the 81-year-old Presidents Democratic colleagues have been calling on him to end his re-election bid in recent weeks, particularly after two excruciating verbal slip-ups he made earlier this month. The first came during a Nato summit event on Thursday when Mr Biden mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as President Putin. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin, Mr Biden said at summit in Washington, drawing gasps from those in the room before correcting himself. Later he mixed up the name of his vice president, Kamala Harris, and his Republican rival Donald Trump. Responded to a question about his confidence in Ms Harris at a solo press conference, Mr Biden said: Look, I wouldnt have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if she was not qualified to be president. So start there. This time he failed to correct the gaffe. Joe Biden confuses Kamala Harris with former President Trump Read more Trump turns sights on Harris after Biden abandons race for the White House Reacting to the news, Donald Trump posted on his platform Truth Social: "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for president, and is certainly not fit to serve - and never was!" "He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. "All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasnt capable of being President, and he wasnt. "We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary who is also currently the chancellor for Queens University Belfast, released a statement thanking President Biden for his service and joining him in endorsing Vice President Harris. "[We] will do whatever we can to support her, they said. Weve lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term. He has promised to be a dictator on day one, and the recent ruling by his servile Supreme Court will only embolden him to further shred the Constitution. Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything weve got to elect her. Americas future depends on it. 'It is Donald Trump's election to lose' - expert reacts to Biden's withdrawal Niall Stanage, a US-based journalist from Northern Ireland who reports on The White House, said President Bidens decision is an historic moment in American politics. He told Sky News: This is the first president since Lyndon Johnson in the late 1960s to decide against a run for re-election - more dramatic, if anything, in President Bidens case in deciding to step aside. I think its an effort to perhaps protect his legacy but also a recognition that following that catastrophic debate performance on June 27, he was almost inevitably going to lose to Donald Trump if he pressed ahead. And even I think his staunchest allies would have thought that would be a very sad way to go out for a man who has been in public service for half a century. He said Bidens decision to remain in the White House for now meant he was in a tricky situation to say the very least. Although he doesnt really go into the details of why he is not running, everyone saw the worrying signs as far as his faculty was concerned in that debate performance I just mentioned, he added. So in effect he is saying that he accepts the criticism that he wouldnt be capable of serving a second term or at least he accepts that perception. And I think it is legitimate then to question whether it is prudent for him to remain in the Oval Office until January of next year when the next president will be inaugurated. Now I do think its important to disentangle that from the fact that Trump is saying it and Republicans are saying it in order to get some political advantage as well and to try to stick the Democrats generally with the charge of irresponsibility. Not shy of stirring up controversy knowingly, the Commander In Chief will be remembered across the island of Ireland for various off-the-cuff remarks he made during his visit here last year. In a fleeting visit to Northern Ireland last April which lasted less than 24 hours he gave a speech at Ulster Universitys new Belfast campus, where he expressed hopes for a return to power-sharing at Stormont, as he praised 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement. In a landmark address, he described how Belfast has transformed from the city he visited in 1991, saying it was an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace. He then visited the Republic, including his ancestral homeplace of Ballina in Co Mayo. In May 2023, after the trip, he told supporters he came to Ireland to make sure the Brits didnt screw around during a speech in New York. He also joked about getting into trouble with the Catholic Church for the way he blesses himself these days. 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 Irelands Taoiseach Simon Harris thanked Mr Biden following Sundays news. He said Mr Biden had expressed a "fierce pride" in his Irish ancestry and had acted as a voice for "reason, effective multilateralism and shared solutions". "Joe Biden, in all the offices he has held, has always been an unwavering voice and passionate worker for peace on the island of Ireland and our country owes him a great debt for this," he said. "On a personal level, President Biden is a proud American with an Irish soul. When he arrived into Belfast, Louth and Mayo last year he himself said it was like coming home. "The outpouring of love and support from the public, even in the pouring Irish rain, from Carlingford to Ballina was testament to how highly the President is held in his ancestral home." Earlier Ireland's Tanaiste reacted to Mr Biden's withdrawal decision with "sadness and admiration". Micheal Martin described Mr Biden as an "abiding friend of Ireland". "I heard the news of President Biden's decision with both sadness and admiration," Mr Martin said in a post on the social network X, formerly Twitter. "He has been an abiding friend of Ireland, providing invaluable support for peace and prosperity on this island. "His visit last year will long be remembered as a powerful & joyous celebration of our relationship with the US "This has no doubt been the toughest of calls, but one done, as ever, with dignity and class. "I know that the people of Ireland will wish President Biden the very best." Hollywood stars and singers back Kamala Harris after Joe Biden withdraws from presidential race Hundreds of migrants from around a dozen countries have left Mexicos southern border on foot as they attempt to reach the US border. Some of the group said they hoped to make it to the US border before elections are held in November because they fear that if Donald Trump wins, he will follow through on a promise to close the border to asylum-seekers. We are running the risk that permits (to cross the border) might be blocked, said Miguel Salazar, a migrant from El Salvador. Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state (Edgar H Clemente/AP) He feared that a new Trump administration might stop granting appointments to migrants through CBP One, an app used by asylum-seekers to enter the US legally at US border posts, where they make their cases to officials. The app only works once migrants reach Mexico City, or states in northern Mexico. Everyone wants to use that route, said Mr Salazar, 37. The group left on Sunday from the southern Mexican town of Ciudad Hidalgo, which is next to a river that marks Mexicos border with Guatemala. Some said they had been waiting in Ciudad Hidalgo for weeks for permits to travel to towns further north. Migrants trying to pass through Mexico in recent years have organised large groups to try to reduce the risk of being attacked by gangs or stopped by Mexican immigration officials as they travel, but the caravans tend to break up in southern Mexico as people get tired of walking for hundreds of miles. The group left on Sunday from the southern Mexican town of Ciudad Hidalgo (Edgar H Clemente/AP) Mexico has recently made it more difficult for migrants to reach the US border on buses and trains.Travel permits are rarely awarded to migrants who enter the country without visas and thousands have been detained by immigration officers at checkpoints in the centre and north of Mexico and taken back to towns deep in the south. Oswaldo Reyna, a 55-year-old Cuban, crossed from Guatemala into Mexico 45 days ago and waited in Ciudad Hidalgo to join the new caravan announced on social media. He criticised Mr Trumps recent comments about migrants and how they are trying to invade the US. We are not delinquents, he said. We are hard-working people who have left our country to get ahead in life, because in our homeland we are suffering from many needs. A Russian court has convicted Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva of spreading false information about the Russian army and sentenced her to six and a half years in prison after a secret trial, court records and officials said. The conviction in the city of Kazan came on Friday, the same day that a court in the city of Yekaterinburg convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison in a case that the US called politically motivated. Ms Kurmasheva, who worked for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and was an editor for the Tatar-Bashkir service, was convicted of spreading false information about the military, according to the website of the Supreme Court of Tatarstan. Alsu Kurmasheva worked for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (AP) Court spokesperson Natalya Loseva confirmed to the Associated Press that Ms Kurmasheva was sentenced to six and a half years in prison in a case classified as secret, with no details available about the nature of the accusations. Asked about the verdict on Monday, Stephen Capus, RFE/RL president and chief executive, denounced the trial and conviction as a mockery of justice and said the only just outcome is for Alsu to be immediately released from prison by her Russian captors. Its beyond time for this American citizen, our dear colleague, to be reunited with her loving family, Mr Capus added in a statement to the AP. Ms Kurmasheva, who lives in Prague with her husband and two daughters, was taken into custody in October 2023 and charged with failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information about the Russian military. Later, she was also charged with spreading false information about the Russian military under legislation that effectively criminalised any public expression about the war in Ukraine that deviates from the Kremlin line. Alsu Kurmasheva lives in Prague with her husband and two daughters (AP) She was initially stopped in June 2023 at Kazan International Airport after traveling to Russia the previous month to visit her ailing elderly mother. Officials confiscated her US and Russian passports and fined her for failing to register her US passport. She was waiting for her passports to be returned when she was arrested on new charges in October. RFE/RL has repeatedly called for her release. RFE/RL was told by Russian authorities in 2017 to register as a foreign agent, but it has challenged Moscows use of foreign agent laws in the European Court of Human Rights. The organisation has been fined millions of dollars by Russia. In February, RFE/RL was outlawed in Russia as an undesirable organisation. The swift and secretive trials of Ms Kurmasheva and Mr Gershkovich in Russias highly politicised legal system raised hopes for a possible prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. Russia has previously signalled a possible exchange involving Mr Gershkovich, but said a verdict in his case must come first. Evan Gershkovich stands listening to the verdict in a glass cage (AP) 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. Mr Gershkovich, 32, was arrested on 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 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 jail used during Josef Stalins purges, when executions were carried out in its basement. He was transferred to Yekaterinburg for the trial. Mr Gershkovich was the first US journalist arrested on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War. Foreign journalists in Russia were shocked by his arrest, even though the country has enacted increasingly repressive laws on freedom of speech after sending troops into Ukraine. US President Joe Biden said after his conviction that Mr Gershkovich was targeted by the Russian government because he is a journalist and an American. The paramilitary group went underground after the first world war before the modern UVF emerged in the 1960s The name Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) has a history going back to before the First World War and the Home Rule Crisis. However, todays modern UVF was formed in 1965, stemming from Unionist concerns over civil rights marches. Some feared that the marches were a front for republicanism opposing the existence of Northern Ireland. Since 1966, the UVF has killed over 500 people, the vast majority Catholic civilians. The group killed the first victim of the troubles an elderly protestant woman, when a petrol bomb intended for a Catholic owned bar on the Shankill spread to her home. The history of the UVF is intertwined with Gusty Spence. He confounded the organisation and was key in deciding its tactics. The ex-British Army soldier from the Shankill eventually became the UVF commander in the Maze Prison. Ciaran Dunbar is joined by Aaron Edwards, author of UVF: Behind the mask to discuss the origins of the modern UVF, the role of Gusty Spence and the first five years of the organization. Microsoft reported that 8.5 million of its devices were impacted by the CrowdStrike outage that halted daily business operations last week. A faulty software update by the cybersecurity firm caused system problems across industries such as media, airlines, and banks. Microsoft Assures Customers After Global Outage In a blog post, Microsoft announced that an estimated count of 8.5 million devices were identified to be affected by the outage. The tech giant assured that it only affected less than one percent of all Windows machines. "While the percentage was small, the broad economic and societal impacts reflect the use of CrowdStrike by enterprises that run many critical services," Microsoft wrote. The company also emphasized the significance of operating with a safe deployment and recovery process that can be utilized to quickly resolve such issues. Both Microsoft and CrowdStrike have been working closely to collect information and disseminate automatic and manual solutions for IT admins to recover the functions of the machines. CrowdStrike Offers Assistance to Remaining Affected Systems The cybersecurity firm updated that it is still testing new techniques that would accelerate the remediation for impacted systems. Customers are encouraged to stay alert for updates and instructions to fix their devices. Last July 18, several Windows devices suddenly displayed a blue screen, indicating an internal error. The outage quickly dispersed in different countries, affecting big-time operations like airlines. CrowdStrike acknowledged the issue and revealed that it was not caused by a cyberattack. The outage was due to a defect in a Falcon content update for Windows and did not affect Mac and Linux hosts. As of writing, both companies have issued a list of alternative solutions that IT admins could easily follow. Device-specific recovery processes were also released to assist still-impacted devices. Restaurant review: Cosy Belfast eatery at the tapas of its game Gnostic 13 Corporation Square, Belfast Tel: 028 9592 8950 A return visit to the cosy little bar/eatery hits the spot with bigger plates and punchier flavours Crispy squid at Gnostic Aine Toner Mon 22 Jul 2024 at 13:00 Small plates of food do a meal make... if you eat enough of them. We first visited Gnostic in 2022 and were regular attendees, charmed by its attention to flavour and presentation. MANCHESTER Inside the Yester House Gallery at the Southern Vermont Arts Center complex read a simple sign: Hobbit Camp this way. Follow the laughter of hobbits. The hobbits could indeed be heard laughing and giggling, and it was not hard to find their location toward the back of the maze of gallery rooms. Sunlight streamed in through the window and pooled on the surface of a table, which was already starting to resemble a map of a village. The hobbits were gathered around, busily creating their big world. Lynne Debeer, the leader of Southern Vermont Arts Centers Hobbit Camp for youngsters ages 5 to 7, was listing off the tasks on the days to-do list. Were going to finish our drawings, and then, well, we started setting up our village," she said. "But, later, were going to go out and collect." "Hobbit Camp is all about mythical and mystical creatures, explained Debeer. We create our village, and we become our creatures. The items that the participants of Hobbit Camp would be collecting that day are all items found in nature. They include everything from acorns and pinecones to moss, bark and pebbles. So far, we know that our community is called Creature Kingdom, explained Debeer of the story that the kids had begun weaving. Creature Kingdom has a lot of food, and were going to go help the people in Who Village because they dont have any food. Were very abundant, but theyre not. At the end of the week, the goal is to have a play prepared to explain the community that they created. Natural items already littered the table, possibly the foraged treasures of a previous hunt, and the surface of the large table was covered in a green mossy substrate, resembling a forest floor. Pieces of stumps and tree knots were placed strategically around the space, symbolizing abodes and dwellings and other buildings of purpose to a community. Debeer was chatting away with her young magical folk at the table. This could be your library, she suggested of a large hobbit domain in the center of the table. A hole was in its roof, and it was suggested that this might be a chimney. Another hobbit thought it should be a secret door, or a skylight. Its a bank, said Violet the fairy decisively, before dropping a few pebbles through the hole and looking around for either confirmation or dissension. No one disagreed, and the table fell silent. Maybe you want to make a movie theater over here, suggested Debeer, indicating a flat piece of bark that did slightly resemble a screen. She placed it next to some sticks, which might serve well as stadium seating. How are we going to make a movie theater? asked a hobbit. Were just kids. Well, you could use shells for seats, if you want, suggested Debeer, showing how it could be set up. A hobbit immediately declared the shell to be the queens throne. I have $20, said Violet the fairy. Does anybody want to pay for anything? Its supposed to go in the bank, but nobodys going to rob it. Nobodys going to rob it, agreed Sugar the dwarf. Hey guys, lets set up some things for the community center, suggested Debeer, prompting suggestions from the group. Hey, hey, hey be nice. These are fairy weapons, cried a hobbit, poking another playfully, and a few of the magical creatures fled in squeals of laughter. Im Sugar. Im a dwarf, said one of the little villagers, running a hand down her flowered shirt and holding up a drawing of her house which had a tree growing on the roof. A series of ladders ran throughout the dwelling. Sugar wasnt sure why she wanted to be a dwarf, but she was attracted to their mischievous nature. I steal things, like sweet things that are shiny," she said, "like the wapple. At this, a deeply inquisitive discussion broke out regarding what a wapple was. Eventually, with lots of giggling and chaos, it was determined that Sugar meant a wrapper her dwarf liked to steal candy, and liked to keep the shiny wrapper. I like to spy on people, too, and I see theres a lot of things to steal from up here, Sugar said, pointing to the tree rooted in her roof. I get down and go steal it, then I bring it to my secret hideout. Its not here. You cant see it. Its a secret. Sugars friend, Butter the brownie, likes to steal things, too. She doesnt know how she will spend her time or what she will be doing, but she does enjoy spending her time with Sugar. Lilly the fairy, whose wings were described as both a shiny gold and a sparkly glitter gold, explained how the acorn caps were actually food bowls and the bark was a table. She couldnt wait until dinnertime because she was just "oh so hungry, hungry all the time!" She opened her hand conspiratorially. Inside were several pieces of polished beach glass. This is my money, she said. And, Im the queen. Discussions about how to develop the hobbit community seemed to mimic the real-life community there were dominant personalities, and agreeable ones. Leaders emerged, as did workers. The interactions, even in disagreements, were fairly amicable. Rainbow the mermaid, hiding behind a curtain of golden hair, was peacefully sitting and weaving blankets and rugs for the village while Tae-o the dragon was creating a blowing horn out of a spiral, trumpet-like shell. Violet the fairy was still working on developing a system of asset acquisition and theft protection. Lilly was attempting to acquire more beach glass. This can be to warn people or to call them, Tae-o said, demonstrating the usefulness of the device which was wedged on top of a short stick. As Tae-o blew through the trumpet, a low bellowing sound emerged from his lips. It worked splendidly. MANCHESTER Late Northshire resident Treat Williams has been posthumously nominated for an Emmy for his role as famed television executive Bill Paley in "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. "We are so happy for him to receive this well-earned nomination, and of course it is bittersweet for our family as he should be here to enjoy it," Williams' wife, Pam, said in a message Thursday. "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" is the second season of the anthology series "Feud," with episodes available on Hulu. The eight-episode season is inspired by the book "Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era" by Laurence Leamer. A Connecticut native, Williams had first come to Southern Vermont with his family for ski trips. Later in life, he visited with Pam, eventually purchasing the family home in Manchester. The Williams family moved there full-time in 2008, and the actor often posted photos of his rural life on social media. The community suffered a huge loss in 2023 when the actor died at age 71 after a motorcycle crash on Route 30 near Morse Hill Road in Dorset. Though he was a sought-after actor with 129 movie and television roles as well as numerous Broadway credits, neighbors mostly remember his kindness. I hope each of us might try to honor (Treat) by being a bit kinder to one another. Kindness is free; it doesnt cost you anything. But it could make a world of difference to someone else. His kindness certainly did for me," Dena Ela, a receptionist in the area, told columnist Telly Halkias in 2023. Williams starred on Broadway in Grease before earning leading parts in film, including lead roles in Milos Formans screen adaptation of Hair and Sidney Lumets Prince of the City. His television credits included a television adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire, leading roles in Everwood and Chesapeake Shores, and lead roles in a pair of holiday specials in 2020. He had recently appeared as a recurring character in the CBS drama Blue Bloods. Williams performed in Dorset Theatre Festivals production of David Mamets American Buffalo in 2017. Williams also received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor for a Miniseries or a Special in 1996, for his role as Michael Ovitz in "The Late Shift" on HBO. For more information, visit emmys.com/bios/treat-williams. Young bats that cannot yet fly may be present in a bat roost during the summer. Homeowners should follow the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Departments recommendations on when and how to protect the living space and do a bat eviction. 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. CrowdStrike has now issued an alert of potentially more cyberattack attempts following the global IT outage that affected millions of computers last Friday. In a blog post last Friday, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz warned affected businesses that "adversaries and bad actors" could exploit the outage to target vulnerable networks. These are in addition to phishing schemes and scammers that could take advantage of the situation to deceive customers to provide crucial security information to potential hackers. CrowdStrike Outage Impacts UK, US, Australia Tech Networks Cybersecurity agencies from the UK, the US, and Australia, where the outage has been mostly felt, have issued similar warnings after they "observed threat actors taking advantage of this incident for phishing and other malicious activity." Microsoft, whose Windows systems were affected by the outage, claimed over 8.5 million computers were impacted by the outage, many of which have been restored this Sunday. Many facilities, including airports, hospitals, and banks, were greatly impacted by the outage, the same sectors that have seen an increase in cyberattacks in recent years. Both companies have already clarified that the outage was not due to a Windows issue but rather a faulty security update from CrowdStrike. Also Read : Microsoft Outage Hits Global Operations of Bank, Airlines How Could Bad Actors Exploit CrowdStrike IT Outage? According to cybersecurity agencies, threat actors could take advantage of the outage by posing as tech support from CrowdStrike or its affiliates. Hackers could also take the chance to try to breach into security networks when most cybersecurity systems are down due to the outage. This, in turn, could cause a major cybersecurity incident in major financial, technological, and medical sectors that rely on CrowdStrike for digital protection. So far, no major data breach from the global IT outage has been reported, although officials have intercepted several attempts already since Friday. PITTSFIELD A decision by Vice President and likely-presidential-nominee Kamala Harris on whether she will attend Saturdays scheduled campaign appearance in Pittsfield is now expected midweek, possibly on Tuesday. Thats the word from Berkshire County Democratic leader Sherwood Guernsey, an organizer of the sold-out fundraiser. Noted author and historian Heather Cox Richardson was listed as a guest speaker, with musical performances by celebrities James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax. There are a lot of moving parts here, Guernsey told The Eagle on Monday afternoon. The event here was organized before President Joe Biden bowed out of his reelection campaign on Sunday afternoon. Guernsey, a Williamstown resident and attorney, is the former chairman and a current member of the Berkshire Democratic Brigades. He is the current president of the Rural Freedom Network, a Political Action Committee grassroots media organization supporting Democratic candidates. He was a state representative from 1983 to 1990 representing North Berkshire in the Massachusetts House. "My fondest hope is that no other candidate tries to challenge Harris, because we need unity, and we need it now," Guernsey said. "We need the hugest coalition the Democrats have ever had, the largest big tent." Last Saturday, the day before President Biden bowed out of his reelection campaign, Harris appeared at a sold-out campaign fundraiser in Provincetown that raised more than $2 million for the Democratic ticket with a starry contingent of national politicians and celebrities attending, the Boston Globe reported. Several VIP tickets sold for as high as $150,000, according to the Cape Cod Times, with total attendance at nearly 1,000 guests at a harborside tent set up by the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. I will start by sharing with you something that I strongly believe, something I hope that you will take from this event, and share with your friends: We are going to win this election, Harris said, to raucous cheers from the crowd waving fans that said VEEP TOWN. She acknowledged that path to reelection would not be easy. Attending the event were Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; actors Jennifer Coolidge, Adrienne Warren, and Billy Porter; Governor Maura Healey; Senator Ed Markey; Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll; Boston Mayor Michelle Wu; and Attorney General Andrea Campbell. When news of the Pittsfield event went public last Wednesday that Harris then President Bidens running mate for reelection was going to be the keynote speaker, tickets selling for $100 and up were quickly snapped up. The lower-priced tickets were all gone the by the next day and by Friday, the Pittsfield fundraiser was totally sold out. A tally of the total amount donated to what was then called the Biden Victory Fund a joint fundraising Political Action Committee of the Biden-Harris campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and the 50 state Democratic parties was not immediately available on Monday. But it was expected to bring in well up in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The committee has now been renamed the Harris Victory Fund. James Taylor told The Eagle recently that his schedule in the months leading up to the Nov. 5 election was mostly clear so he could perform in support of the Democratic ticket whenever he was asked. Along with Guernsey, the fundraisers organizers included former Governor Deval Patrick and his wife, Diane, who own a home in Richmond; former Pittsfield Mayor Evan Dobelle and his wife Kit; Joel and Patty Ellis; Jay Kistler and Chris Conklin; Linda Mason and Roger Brown, and Jeffrey Rothenberg and Sarah Feldman. Evan Dobelle had served as Chief of Protocol in President Jimmy Carters administration; Kit Dobelle was Rosalyn Carters chief of staff and chief of protocol. Michelle Obama attracted a sellout crowd of 780 donors to Pittsfields Colonial Theatre on Aug. 3, 2012, in support of President Obamas re-election campaign. Hillary Clinton appeared in front of the Colonial in 1998 to support the theaters restoration campaign. Rick Joseph Hiser Sr., a Lee farmer, apparently drowned July 4th in a Becket pond. "We need to be paying more attention, said a former lifeguard who pulled him from the water that evening. When Paul testified before King Agrippa, he spoke of his experience on the road to Damascus and how he came to place his faith in Jesus. Agrippa caught onto Pauls evangelistic purpose and thought the Apostle was presumptuous for trying to persuade him, the king, to become a Christian in such a brief time. Not daunted, Paul said, Short time or long I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains (Acts 26:29). As Christians, our desire should be the same. We have experienced the joy of knowing Jesus and we want others to know Him. By praying and working for the spread of the gospel, we express a desire that reflects Gods heart that none should perish, but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Although we want everyone in the world to hear the good news of Christ and become disciples, we are wise to also share with others the cost of following Jesus. In certain parts of the world that are hostile to Christianity, this is a higher priority as there is a significant risk for Christians. None of us should place our faith in Jesus blindly, as we are all called to consider the cost. This is not to dissuade anyone from receiving salvation, but to help them understand that there are risks. Of course, individuals who have chosen to trust in Jesus and follow Him understand that the blessings and benefits of knowing Him far outweigh the risks. Nothing compares to the joy of having an eternal relationship with the Lord. Let us consider four pros and four cons of being a Christian. Photo credit: Getty Images/gustavofrazao Employees from Bethesda Game Studios have successfully entered unionization by joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA) which will represent all job divisions. The group of employees claimed to be the first Microsoft video game studio to establish a wall-to-wall union. Read Also : Bethesda's Starfield is Getting Its First Big Expansion This Year Bethesda Game Workers Agreed to Unionization According to reports, 241 workers either signed an authorization card or indicated their intention to join a union through an online portal. The studio officially became a member of the CWA, representing workers from different divisions. "We're thrilled to get down to brass tacks and win a fair contract, proving that our unity is a source of real power to positively shape our working conditions, our lives, and the company as a whole," said Mandi Parker, Bethesda senior system designer. The company also acknowledged that unionization is a huge step toward bringing democracy to the workplace and protecting each worker on the job. The CWA represents the growing number of personnel from the video game industry. Microsoft Supports Video Game Divisions' Unionization In 2023, Microsoft became the first company to support the video game industry's largest union. Quality assurance workers at ZeniMax Studios, which holds around 300 workers, formed a union with the CWA. ZeniMax Workers pushed the unionization to fight against sudden periods of crunch during game development. The union will also ensure that each worker will get more equitable and other workplace benefits. The studio was eventually dethroned by Activision's unionization which is home to around 600 members. Quality assurance workers from the company formed the union amid the regulatory approval for Microsoft's billion-dollar acquisition of the company. As of writing, Microsoft still holds the record for the largest unionized gaming division. Other gaming companies are still seeking unionization amid work security in the industry. SVP National Councillor Aeschi was roughly restrained by the police. X / Thomas Aeschi The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has initiated preliminary investigations following the scuffle between SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi and federal police officers. The OAG also received a criminal complaint following the incident on June 12. SDA No time? blue News summarizes for you The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has initiated preliminary investigations following the scuffle between SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi and federal police officers. Aeschi wanted to break through a cordon during a photo opportunity on the occasion of the visit of Ukrainian parliamentary president Ruslan Stefanchuk. The OAG also received a criminal complaint following the incident on June 12 during the summer session. Show more Following the scuffle betweenSVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi and federal police officers during the visit of the Ukrainian parliamentary president, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has initiated preliminary investigations. In addition, the OAG received a criminal complaint following the incident on June 12 during the summer session, the authority informed the Keystone-SDA news agency on Sunday evening. The OAG thus confirmed a report in the "Tagesanzeiger" newspaper. The complaint is being examined "according to the usual procedure". No further details are possible at present. The presumption of innocence continues to apply. Breaking through the cordon Aeschi wanted to break through a barrier during a photo opportunity on the occasion of the visit of Ukrainian parliamentary president Ruslan Stefanchuk. A video showed the SVP National Councillor defending himself against two armed federal police officers who tried to force him off the stairs in the foyer of the Federal Palace. Aeschi wrote on the X portal: "As you can see on the video, I didn't let them stop me. The point is that during the session, parliamentary work takes precedence over foreign state visits." Jans backs federal police officers Justice Minister Beat Jans later supported the actions of the federal police officers. "The parliamentarians simply had to take a different staircase, so they could have followed the police's instructions," he told the Keystone-SDA news agency the following day. "When someone comes from Ukraine, from a country at war, the level of security is high and that was now part of what I believe was necessary," Jans continued. "If it had really hindered parliamentary business, you could have the discussion." SDA Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. (Photo : Unsplash/Donald Teel ) A self-proclaimed diehard democrat staff is no longer employed after posting what she just meant a 'comedic' value about Trump's attempted assassination that ripped the upper part of the presidential candidate's right ear. The former staffer who works for Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, immediately resigned after her hideous post circulated online, Fox News reported. Trump's Attempted Assassination Trump has made headlines over the weekend as he ripped his ear from the assassination of 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. The shooter whom the Secret Service shot and killed at the scene left one bystander dead and two others critically injured at a Pennsylvania campaign rally, BBC reported. Thompson issued a statement on X shortly after the shooting occurred, criticizing political violence in American democracy and expressing gratitude for law enforcement's swift response to ensure the former president is safe. While some strongly condemn political violence and send well wishes to the presidential candidate, one staffer of a democrat congressman from Mississippi posted her disdain on social media, expressing disappointment as the assassin missed his target. READ ALSO: Secret Service Faces Scrutiny Over Trump's Assassination, Causing Calls for The Chief's Resignation A Democrat Staffer's Hideous Post While the Mississippi congressman did not name the staffer or provide details about the social media post, screenshots have circulated online showing a post by Jacqueline Marsaw, a political aide and Field Director working for Thompson. The user did not condone violence but suggested "Get some shooting lessons so you don't miss next time. Oops, that wasn't me talking," the full post reads. The Facebook post taken down immediately was screenshotted by staff at the Mississippi GOP, who then shared them on X, calling for Thompson to fire the employee and to resign himself. .@BennieGThompson is trying to remove Secret Service protection from @realDonaldTrump. .@BennieGThompson staffer said please get you some shooting lessons so you dont miss next time .@BennieGThompson led illegitimate #January6 Commission .@BennieGThompson MUST RESIGN! pic.twitter.com/1NUVBGdS2M July 14, 2024 The Mississippi congressman, who chaired the January 6 committee hearings, stated in a message to Fox News that he was made aware of a post by a staff member, and she is no longer employed. Marsaw informed The Natchez Democrat that she removed the post after being asked to by a manager on Thompson's staff who she did not name. The former employee said she just got overwhelmed at the moment being a diehard Democrat, and that her post was only meant to be comedic and not taken seriously. Thompson's Resignation Calls Other Mississippi Republicans also called for Thompson to resign due to a bill he filed earlier this year aimed at removing Trump's Secret Service detail because he is a convicted felon. Thompson, who is a top member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, introduced a bill in mid-April to remove Secret Service protection from convicted felons sentenced to prison. The legislation was co-sponsored by several other Democrats, with a source from Thompson's office telling Newsweek that the bill would apply to anyone sentenced for a felony, stating that no one should receive special treatment, including the former president. RELATED ARTICLE: Trump-Biden Showdown 2024: Trump Leaning Into Falsehoods, Biden's 'Raspy' Condition Draws Most Attention 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The former CEO of The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, Ian Elliott, has described Bishop Eamonn Casey as "a sexual predator". A RTE documentary, in partnership with the the Irish Mail on Sunday reporter Anne Sheridan, examines the Catholic Church's handling of allegations against the former Bishop of Galway, who died in 2017. Advertisement His niece, Patricia Donovan, claims he first raped her at the age of five and that the sexual abuse continued for years. Mr Elliot found her account of what she experienced entirely credible, describing Bishop Casey as, on balance of probabilities, an offender, a sexual predator." "The fact of the matter is that individuals have come forward and spoken about numerous sexual activities, some consensual, others not. Many involved very young people. That is wrong and there is no justification for that, and it should have been stopped. "Those that have been distressed and hurt should be helped and supported by the Church. That is a major priority. Advertisement Patricia Donovan tells the documentary of "The horror of being raped by him when I was five. "The violence and it just carried on in that vein. He had no fear of being caught. He thought he could do what he liked, when he liked, how he liked He was almost, like, incensed that I would dare fight against him, that I would dare try and hurt him, I would dare try and stop him... It didnt make any difference. I feel so absolutely and completely and utterly betrayed by the Church I was brought up in. The documentary, called Bishop Casey's Buried Secrets, also reveals how the Limerick Diocese paid over 100,000 in settlement to one of Bishop Caseys accusers after Caseys death. Advertisement In early 2006, the Irish Bishops announced that Eamonn Casey was moving back to Ireland from England to retire. By this stage, the Vatican had now received at least two allegations of child sexual abuse against Bishop Casey. Bishop Casey consistently denied all the allegations of child sexual abuse made against him. Although all the complaints were reported to An Garda Siochana, he was never charged with, or prosecuted for, any sexual crimes. He was prepared to go to court to defend his reputation after two of his accusers brought civil cases against him. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. A Commercial Court dispute between billionaire bloodstock owner John Magnier and his family with the owners of a 751-acre estate, which the Magniers say they had an agreement to buy, will be heard next year. On Monday, Mr Justice Denis McDonald set March 4th, 2025, for the hearing of the case over the Barne Estate near Clonmel, Co Tipperary. Advertisement The court heard it would take two weeks to hear. The court also heard that a row over discovery of documents required for the case had "ameliorated somewhat" in the last week and that hopefully by next October it could be fully resolved. Otherwise, there could be a hearing to resolve any outstanding discovery issues in October, the judge was told. Last week, the Magnier side complained about attempts by the Barne side to limit the scope of discovery. The Barne side denied the claim. The case concerns a claim by John Magnier and his children, John Paul Magnier and Kate Wachman, that they had an agreement with the Barne owners to buy the Golden Vale estate for 15 million. Advertisement The property is held for the benefit of Richard Thomson-Moore, his sister Alexandra, their children, and their spouses by a Jersey trust. The Magniers have sued the Barne Estate, Mr Thomson-Moore and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd seeking that the 15 million deal to buy, which they say was struck on August 22nd last, be completed. The Barne defendants say there was never any such agreement, and subsequently they agreed to sell it for 22.5 million to construction magnate Maurice Regan, founder of the New York building firm JT Magen. A counterclaim has also been filed for slander of title, alleging the Magnier proceedings and the filing of a legal question mark over dealings in the property, known as a lis pendens, was preventing the owners from selling it to Mr Regan. Another fire has broken out at the former Crown Paints warehouse in Coolock in north Dublin. It is the fourth fire in the building in four nights, while a fifth fire on Monday saw a JCB and mattresses targeted. Advertisement It comes after a week of unrest in the area over the proposed housing of 500 international protection applicants at the site. Gardai attended the scene at the Malahide Rd on Sunday evening, along with members of the Dublin Fire Brigade. The Malahide Rd was closed for a period of time to allow access for fire services to the site. According to gardai, no injuries have been reported at this time. Speaking to Newstalk, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou Mc Donald says it is time the Government listened to the community there. Deputy Mc Donald says it is right to condemn the scenes of violence from the past week - but says the community is angry, scared and frustrated, after being left in 'a dangerous vacuum'. "We now need to restore order, we now need to move from condemnation to engagement. We need to find solutions. "At the heart of that is engaging with the wider community. By the way when I say the community, I do not mean just those protesting, I mean the whole community needs to be engaged." A number of incendiary devices have been seized in Dublin as part of an investigation into recent public order incidents in Coolock. Violent scenes broke out at the site of the former Crown Paints factory, which has been earmarked for accommodation for international protection applicants, on the Malahide Road last week. Advertisement A number of people were arrested after demonstrations escalated and gardai clashed with a large crowd which had gathered in the area. An incident room has been established at Coolock Garda station to investigate the recent incidents at the site. As part of that ongoing investigation, gardai seized the incendiary devices during searches of the Moatfield Avenue and Dunree Park areas last Tuesday. The searches were conducted in grass areas "in close proximity to the protest area", a statement from gardai said. Advertisement Some of the materials discovered by gardai during seraches last Tuesday. Photo: Garda Press Office Seven glass and plastic bottles containing flammable liquid were discovered during the search, alongside empty glass bottles and rags. Plast bottles filled with a mixture of paint and oil, as well as packets of water balloons were also recovered. The incendiary devices and materials have been seized and will be sent for technical examination. Advertisement "Such devices risk serious harm to human life as well as criminal damage to property, as has been witnessed in recent events," the Garda statement added. Gardai said that while the force respects the rights of citizens to exercise their constitutional rights, "this right does not extend to breaches of criminal law, the interference with the rights of other citizens to carry out their daily activities, or to attack members of An Garda Siochana". Last Friday, three Garda members were injured as the situation in Coolock again escalated. Gardai continue to appeal for anyone who witnessed the recent incidents surrounding the site on Malahide Road to come forward. Any road users with dashcam footage from the area between 9am and 8pm on Monday, July 15th, are also asked to make it available to investigating gardai. Those with information can contact Coolock Garda station at 01-666 42000, the Garda Confidential Line 1800-666 111 or any Garda station. A man who raped a young girl and sexually assaulted her sister has been jailed for 11 years. Hamed Azeez (53), of Mac Uilliam Dale, Tallaght, Dublin, was convicted following a Central Criminal Court trial in March of one count of rape and three counts of sexually assaulting the first victim, who was then aged between six and eight. Advertisement He was also found guilty of two counts of sexual assault in relation to the first victim's sister, who was eight to 10 at the time of the offending. The offending occurred on dates between 2013 and 2015 at locations in Co Dublin. Both women have indicated they wish Azeez to be named, but want to retain their anonymity. Imposing the sentence on Monday, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said Azeez had been in a long-term relationship with the girls mother, and the offending occurred while they were in his care and he was in a position of trust. Advertisement He is no longer in a relationship with their mother, the court heard. Ms Justice Creedon said when considering the impacts on the victims, as outlined in their victim impact statements, she was struck by their young age, the impact the abuse had on both of them and how it damaged one of the girls relationships with her mother. She took into account that Azeez does not accept the verdict and maintains his innocence. He insists that the allegations are false claims motivated by their mothers desire to ruin his reputation. Ms Justice Creedon set a headline sentence of 12 years for the rape offence and eight years for the sexual assault offences. Advertisement She said there was very little mitigation as Azeez does not accept the verdict of the jury, nor has he offered an apology or acknowledged the harm he did to both women. It was accepted he was generally co-operative with the Garda investigation. Ms Justice Creedon reduced each sentence by one year before she imposed concurrent sentences of 11 years and seven years. She said Azeez should be registered as a sex offender. Abuse A local garda previously gave evidence that Azeez was then the partner of the girls' mother and was effectively in loco parentis of the girls due to this relationship. He raped the first victim on a counter at his home. The girl said it did not last long, and recalled there were other children playing nearby outside. Advertisement Azeez also sexually assaulted this girl by touching her inappropriately. The court heard these incidents began as horseplay and often occurred under a blanket. One incident took place in the man's car, where he touched her on the genital area after picking her up from school. The man also touched the girl's sister inappropriately on the breasts and buttocks. The allegations were later reported to gardai, and Azeez denied any wrongdoing when he was interviewed. Advertisement Victim impact statements were read to the court by prosecuting counsel. The first complainant said: The pain you caused will stay with me forever, describing how her life had changed. She said Azeez's actions mean she no longer feels safe in the company of older men and outlined feelings of fear and unease. She said his actions had also damaged her relationship with her mother, whom she blames for what happened. She said there is always a wall between us and it is painful to know our bond is broken and may never heal because she brought [the man] into our life. The second complainant said she is not just a victim of sexual assault, but a survivor, and outlined feelings of anxiety, pain and despair. She said she distanced herself from loved ones because she was unwilling to express the extent of my suffering for fear of being disregarded or misunderstood. She said she couldn't shake the feeling that if I'd known what sexual assault was sooner, my sister and I wouldn't have had to endure the harm we did. She said this thought led to self-loathing as she wondered what she could have done to protect herself and her sister. But the young woman wrote that she is now stronger after pulling herself out of the depths of trauma and will continue her journey towards healing. I believe my words will assist anyone who has endured the atrocities of childhood sexual abuse, she added. The court heard Azeez moved to Ireland in 2000 and has a long work history. The investigating garda agreed with Maurice Coffey SC, defending, that his client's previous convictions date back over 20 years, and he was co-operative with the criminal process. Mr Coffey asked the court to take into consideration Azeezs history and personal circumstances as outlined in a probation report. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Three members of the Defence Forces have been dismissed due to domestic, sexual, or gender-based violence since 2016 reflecting the "culture of misogyny" in the organisation. The figures include Cathal Crotty who was dismissed earlier this month following his conviction for the vicious and unprovoked assault on Limerick woman Natasha O'Brien in 2022. Advertisement One member was dismissed in 2017 for a sexual offence while another was dismissed in 2023 for domestic violence. As the Irish Examiner reports, the figures were provided in a response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns to Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin. Ms Cairns said the figures are deeply concerning and raise further questions for the Government and the Defence Forces. In June, Mr Martin told the Dail that 68 currently serving members of the Defence Forces have been convicted of a crime in the last three years or are currently before the courts. Advertisement Of these, approximately six cases relate to domestic incidents or breaches of barring orders and a further five relate to sexual assault. Around 24 cases relate to assault generally, but it is not yet known whether any of these are gender-based incidents. Ms Cairns said she will be seeking clarity on these details. Ms Cairns said that it was shocking but not surprising that three members have been dismissed for domestic, sexual, or gender-based violence. She said it speaks to the culture of misogyny and bullying that has been allowed to fester unchecked within the Defence Forces for years as highlighted by the Women of Honour. "The latest figures show that a root-and-branch transformation of the Defence Forces and proper oversight of existing procedures cannot come soon enough." In his response, Mr Martin expressed his "unequivocal condemnation of any form of gender-based violence". A woman who was raped by her stepfather on her 15th birthday has waived her anonymity to allow him to be named. Anthony Byrne (55) was found guilty following a Central Criminal Court trial in May of two counts of raping his stepdaughter Kim Jordan, now 36, in 2002. Advertisement Ms Jordan waived her anonymity to allow Byrne to be named. In her victim impact statement, which she read to the court, Ms Jordan said Byrne had blamed her during the trial for his actions. I felt humiliated and shamed, as you portrayed me to be some kind of teenage sexual temptress, she said. Byrne, of Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, had come into her life when she was quite young and the court heard the relationship was significant for her as they were close when she was a child. Advertisement After spending my very early years wondering why my biological father wasnt around and why my family was broken, I felt as though my prayers had been answered, and I finally had the family I longed for when Tony came into my life and that I finally had a dad. Little did I know his plan was to use me for his sick sexual pleasures and would go on to ruin my life. The court heard the offending occurred when Ms Jordan was in Spain on the day of her 15th birthday in 2002, and a few months later in her family home. Ms Jordan made a complaint to gardai in 2018 and outlined what had happened. The court heard that when she was on a family holiday in Spain she decided to go back to the apartment to have a shower before dinner. He was drinking a beer and while they were playing cards he asked her if they could play strip poker. Advertisement He asked if he could enter the bathroom to use the toilet. He then dropped his shorts and insisted on washing her with sponge and drying her afterwards. She said she was so embarrassed and was bawling crying. She had clothes laid out on the bed, and then he said he was going to dry her. He put his hand on her shoulder and put her back on the bed. It was then that he raped her. She said she zoned out and became completely numb wishing she was dead. She still has the memory of the woodchip wallpaper as she faced away while he was raping her. She was worried she would become pregnant. The second incident happened some months after they had returned from Majorca, the court heard. Byrne came in and took off her trousers and underwear, and tried to penetrate her, but he was not erect. Advertisement John Byrne SC, defending, said his client never denied sexual contact with the girl, but denied any allegation of rape. Mr Byrne must respect the verdict of the jury but doesnt accept it, the barrister told the court. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring noted that Byrne had said he was having an affair with his teenage stepdaughter. Justice Ring said she was not in a position to impose a sentence until July 31st due to the late submission of documents. The judge also noted recent changes in the Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking Bill, meaning people convicted of a sexual offence must have character references made via oath or affidavit at sentencing hearings. However, defence counsel objected to this and Justice Ring agreed the new law enacted last week only applied to those convicted following the passing of the bill. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Police in Greenland say they have apprehended veteran environmental activist and anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson on an international arrest warrant issued by Japan. Watson, a 73-year-old Canadian-American citizen, is a former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society whose direct action tactics, including high-seas confrontations with whaling vessels, have drawn support from A-list celebrities and featured in reality television series Whale Wars. Advertisement He was arrested in the Danish territory on Sunday when his ship docked in Nuuk, Greenlands capital, a police statement said. He later appeared before a district court looking into a request to detain him pending a decision on his possible extradition to Japan, the statement said. On Monday, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation said in an emailed comment that he would be detained in Nuuk at least until August 15 after the courts decision, to give the Danish justice ministry time to investigate the case and possible extradition. This morning, Captain Paul Watson was arrested in Nuuk, Greenland by Danish federal police, who boarded the M/Y John Paul DeJoria as soon as it docked. The crew had stopped to refuel while en route to the Northwest Passage as part of #OpKangeiMaru, our campaign aimed at pic.twitter.com/ANWoRFiR42 Advertisement Captain Paul Watson Foundation (@CaptPaulWatson) July 21, 2024 He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison in Japan, according to the foundation. Advertisement The organisation also said the Greenland court would not allow Watsons release on bail as he was considered a flight risk. The foundation said more than a dozen police officers boarded the ship when it stopped to refuel and led Watson away in handcuffs. The foundation said the vessel with 25 volunteer crew members was en route to the North Pacific on a mission to intercept a new Japanese whaling ship. The arrest is believed to be related to a former Red Notice issued for Captain Watsons previous anti-whaling interventions in the Antarctic region, the foundation said in an emailed statement on Sunday. We implore the Danish government to release Captain Watson and not entertain this politically motivated request, Locky MacLean, the foundation director, said in the statement. Advertisement Neither the Japan Coast Guard nor Japans Foreign Ministry, which had issued the international warrant for Watson, confirmed they were negotiating Watsons handover, but the coast guard, the primary investigative authority in Watsons case in Japan, said on Monday that officials are on standby if a handover is ordered. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Japan does not have an extradition treaty with the European country and it is unknown if or when Watson would be handed over. It is not the first time his tactics have brought him into conflict with authorities. He was detained in Germany in 2012 on a Costa Rican extradition warrant but skipped bail after learning that he was also sought for extradition by Japan, which has accused him of endangering whalers lives during operations in the Antarctic Ocean. He has since lived in countries including France and the US. Advertisement Watson, who left Sea Shepherd in 2022 to set up his own organisation, was also a leading member of Greenpeace but left in 1977 amid disagreements over his aggressive tactics. According to his foundation, Watsons current ship, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was due to sail through the Northwest Passage to the North Pacific to confront a newly built Japanese factory whaling ship, a murderous enemy devoid of compassion and empathy hell bent on destroying the most intelligent self-aware sentient beings in the sea. A man has been killed after he attempted to stab Israeli security forces with a knife at the entrance to an Israeli town on the Gaza border, according to the military. Israels Army Radio said the attacker arrived at the security checkpoint by car on Monday morning and in English started accusing Israel of carrying out atrocities in Gaza, before reaching into his car and taking out a knife. Advertisement Security forces shot and killed the man. There were no other injuries reported. The attack took place at the entrance to the Israeli town of Netiv Haasara, 300 metres north of the Gaza border. Israeli police confirmed the attacker was a Canadian citizen. Netiv HaAsara was attacked in the Hamas onslaught on October 7 that sparked the current war, and 20 residents were killed after gunmen passed over the concrete border wall using paragliders, according to Israeli military officials. Advertisement Israel has experienced a wave of stabbing attacks across the country during the nine-month war in Gaza, though few have taken place along the Israel-Gaza border, which has a heavy military presence. Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance made his first solo campaign appearance a day after the White House race was thrown into upheaval when President Joe Biden dropped out. The Ohio senator held a rally on Monday at his former high school in Middleton, his hometown, where he played up his local ties, praised running mate Donald Trump and attacked Democratic vice president Kamala Harris, who is now backed by more than half of the delegates needed to win her partys nomination vote, according to an Associated Press survey. Advertisement I was told I was going to debate Kamala Harris and now President Trumps going to get to debate her, Mr Vance said to laughs. Im kind of pissed off about that, if Im being honest with you. .@JDVance1: I said at the RNC Convention that I will never forget where I came from. I came from Middletown, Ohio. I am proud of it, and I will never forget where I came from! pic.twitter.com/f7h4WebwDL Advertisement Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 22, 2024 Mr Vance tried to deflect the criticism that Mr Trump, who has refused to accept his 2020 loss to Mr Biden and tried to overturn the results, is a threat to democracy. Advertisement The senator claimed that the real threat came from the push by elite Democrats who decided to throw Joe Biden overboard and then have the party line up behind a replacement without primary contests. Mr Vance also seemed to question Ms Harris patriotism, saying that when she gives a speech, she talks about the history of this country not with appreciation but with condemnation. He added: Not everythings perfect. Its never going to be. But you, if you want to lead this country, you should feel grateful for it. You should feel a sense of gratitude. And I never hear that gratitude come through when I listen to Kamala Harris. Advertisement Joe Biden has been the worst President in my lifetime and Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way. Over the last four years she co-signed Biden's open border and green scam policies that drove up the cost of housing and groceries. She owns all of these JD Vance (@JDVance1) July 21, 2024 Advertisement Mr Vance gave no examples to support his assessment. The attack line against Ms Harris was reminiscent of criticism of former first lady Michelle Obama, who said during husband Barack Obamas 2008 presidential primary bid that it was the first time she felt really proud of her country. Conservatives seized on the comment to portray her as unpatriotic. She said the comment was taken out of context, and that she was talking about election results, not of the country itself. The applause for Mr Vance from a crowd of about 900 was more muted than at the raucous rallies that Mr Trump typically holds, through the senator drew a strong response when he endorsed Mr Trumps America First policies. Joe Bidens withdrawal from the US presidential race injects greater uncertainty into the world at a time when western leaders are grappling with wars in Ukraine and Gaza, a more assertive China in Asia and the rise of the far right in Europe. After his announcement, messages of support and gratitude for his years of service poured in from near and far. Advertisement During a five-decade career in politics, he has developed extensive personal relationships with multiple foreign leaders that none of the potential replacements on the Democratic ticket can match. Advertisement The scope of foreign policy challenges facing the next president makes clear how consequential what happens in Washington is for the rest of the planet. Heres a look at some of them. Israel With Vice President Kamala Harris being eyed as a potential replacement for Mr Biden, Israelis are scrambling to understand what her candidacy would mean for their country as it faces increasing global isolation over its military campaign against Hamas. Israels left-wing Haaretz daily newspaper ran a story scrutinising Ms Harriss record of support for Israel, pointing to her reputation as Mr Bidens bad cop who has vocally admonished Israel for its offensive in Gaza. In recent months, she has gone further than Mr Biden in calling for a ceasefire, denouncing Israels invasion of Rafah and expressing horror over the civilian death toll in Gaza. Advertisement With Biden leaving, Israel has lost perhaps the last Zionist president, said Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul general in New York. A new Democratic candidate will upend the dynamic. Mr Bidens defence of Israel since Hamass October 7th attack has its roots in his half-century of support for the country as a senator, vice president and president. Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant thanked him for his unwavering support of Israel over the years. Israeli president Isaac Herzog praised Mr Biden as a symbol of the unbreakable bond between our two peoples and a true ally of the Jewish people. Advertisement Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu in 2023 (Evan Vucci/AP) There was no immediate reaction from Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, an ally of former president Donald Trump whose history of cordial relations with Mr Biden has come under strain during the Israel-Hamas war. Ukraine Any Democratic candidate would be likely to continue Mr Bidens legacy of military support for Ukraine, but frustration has grown in Ukraine and Europe over the slow pace of US aid and restrictions on the use of western weapons. Most Europeans realise that Ukraine is increasingly going to be their burden, said Sudha David-Wilp, director of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund, a research institute. Everyone is trying to get ready for all the possible outcomes. Advertisement Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he respected the tough but strong decision by Mr Biden to drop out of the campaign, and thanked him for his help in preventing (Russian president Vladimir) Putin from occupying our country. Mr Trump has promised to end Russias war on Ukraine in one day if he is elected a prospect that has raised fears in Ukraine that Russia might be allowed to keep the territory it occupies. His vice presidential pick, JD Vance, is among Congresss most vocal opponents of US aid for Ukraine and has further raised the stakes for Kyiv. JD Vance with Donald Trump at a campaign rally (Evan Vucci/AP) Russia has dismissed the importance of the presidential race, insisting that no matter what happens, Moscow will press on in Ukraine. China In recent months, both Mr Biden and Mr Trump have tried to show voters who can best stand up to Beijings growing military strength and belligerence and protect US businesses and workers from low-priced Chinese imports. Mr Biden has hiked tariffs on electric vehicles from China, and Mr Trump has promised to implement tariffs of 60 per cent on all Chinese products. Mr Trumps America First doctrine exacerbated tensions with Beijing, but disputes with the geopolitical rival and economic colossus over wars, trade, technology and security continued into Mr Bidens term. Chinas official reaction to the presidential race has been careful. The US elections are US internal politics. I have no comment on this, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. The official Xinhua news agency treated the story of Mr Bidens decision as relatively minor. Iran With Tehrans proxies across the Middle East increasingly entangled in the Israel-Hamas war, the US faces a region in disarray. The Israeli army struck several Houthi targets in western Yemen over the weekend (AP) Yemens Iran-backed Houthis struck Tel Aviv for the first time last week, prompting retaliatory Israeli strikes inside war-torn Yemen. Simmering tensions and cross-border attacks between Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and the Israeli military have raised fears of an all-out regional conflagration. Hamas, which also receives support from Iran, continues to fight Israel nine months into a war that has killed 38,000 Palestinians and displaced over 80 per cent of Gazas population. The US and its allies have accused Iran of expanding its nuclear programme and enriching uranium to an unprecedented 60% level, near-weapons-grade levels. After then-president Trump withdrew from Tehrans landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2018, Mr Biden said he wanted to reverse his predecessors hawkish anti-Iran stance, but the administration has maintained severe economic sanctions against Tehran and overseen failed attempts to renegotiate the agreement. The sudden death of Ebrahim Raisi the supreme leaders hardline protege in a helicopter crash vaulted a new reformist to the presidency in Iran, generating new opportunities and risks. Masoud Pezeshkian has said he wants to help Iran open up to the world but has maintained a defiant tone against the US. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani brushed off Mr Bidens withdrawal, saying: To us, the coming and going of governments and persons on top of the US administration is not important on its own. What can change the atmosphere of relations is a fundamental change in this hostile policy against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Europe and Nato Many Europeans were happy to see Mr Trump go after his years of disparaging the EU and undermining Nato. His dismissive attitude towards European allies in last months presidential debate did nothing to ease those concerns. Mr Biden has supported close US relations with bloc leaders. After his decision to bow out of the race, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk called his choice probably the most difficult one in your life. UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said he respected the decision based on what he believes is in the best interests of the American people. Taoiseach Simon Harris called Mr Biden a proud American with an Irish soul. The question of whether Nato can maintain its momentum in supporting Ukraine and checking the ambitions of other authoritarian states hangs in the balance of this presidential election, analysts say. They dont want to see Donald Trump as president. So theres quite a bit of relief but also quite a bit of nervousness about Mr Bidens decision to drop out, said Jeremy Shapiro, research director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Like many in the United States, but perhaps more so, they are really quite confused. Mexico The close relationship between Mexico and the US has been marked in recent years by disagreements over trade, energy and climate change. Since Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took power in 2018, both countries have found common ground on migration, with Mexico making it more difficult for migrants to cross its country to the US border and Washington not pressing on other issues. The Lopez Obrador administration kept that policy while Mr Trump was president and continued it into Mr Bidens term. On Friday, Mexicos president called Mr Trump a friend and said he would write to him to warn against pledging to close the border or blaming migrants for bringing drugs into the US. I am going to prove to him that migrants dont carry drugs to the United States, he said, adding that closing the border wont solve anything, and anyway, it cant be done. Police in Pakistan raided the imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khans political party office in Islamabad and arrested its spokesperson for carrying out anti-state propaganda, the Interior Ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said officers also arrested Ahmad Janjua, a media coordinator for Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI party. Advertisement Mr Janjua was arrested over the weekend in a separate raid. The arrests have drawn criticism from Gohar Ali Khan, the chair of PTI, who said authorities also arrested some other workers of the partys media wing, in a series of police raids in recent weeks. Pakistani authorities often accuse the PTI of running a campaign against the countrys institutions, a reference to the military, a charge the party denies. Khan has been embroiled in more than 150 cases since 2022, when he was ousted through a vote of no-confidence in the parliament. Advertisement He has been held at a prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi since last year after his arrest. China remains stabilizing force for global economic growth 09:35, July 22, 2024 By He Yin ( People's Daily In the first six months of this year, China's economy continued its recovery trend and maintained steady progress. On July 16, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released an update to its World Economic Outlook, predicting that China's economic growth rate will be 5 percent in 2024, an upward revision of 0.4 percentage points from the forecast in April. Intelligent logistics robots transfer building block toys in a 5G digital industrial park of a tech company based in Ruijin, east China's Jiangxi province. (People's Daily Online/Zhu Haipeng) The stable operation and long-term positive outlook of the Chinese economy have also boosted confidence in global economic recovery. The IMF believes that Asia's emerging market economies, represented by countries including China, remain the main engine of the global economy. China's economic growth is not only quantitative but also qualitative. In the first half of this year, China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5 percent year on year to around 61.7 trillion yuan ($8.49 trillion). During the period, the country's total retail sales of consumer goods went up 3.7 percent year on year, with retail sales of services expanding 7.5 percent; investment in infrastructure construction rose 5.4 percent from a year ago while manufacturing investment increased 9.5 percent, signaling burgeoning recovery; and the foreign trade in goods reached a new high, with the goods trade volume reaching 21.2 trillion yuan. From a medium- to long-term perspective, the economic fundamentals that sustain China's long-term growth remain unchanged, and the trend toward high-quality development in China's economy has not changed. China continues to be an important engine and stabilizing force for the world economy. Facing complex and volatile domestic and international environments, China has maintained stable expansion of its economy and pushed forward industrial upgrading and high-quality development in an orderly manner, spurring the pursuit of high value-added and sustainable economic growth. Positive factors driving China's economic transformation, upgrading, and high-quality development have continued to accumulate. For instance, the country's output of smart and green products, such as integrated circuits, service robots, new energy vehicles, and solar cells has maintained double-digit growth in the first half of this year. Besides, the emergence of new consumption scenarios spawned by new technologies like big data and artificial intelligence as well as new consumption models has driven an 8.8 percent year-on-year increase in China's online retail sales of physical goods during the period. Meanwhile, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP has continued to decline. "With the global economy facing uncertainties and challenges, China's role as a stabilizing force is more crucial than ever," pointed out a recent article by Zamir Ahmed Awan, founding chair of Pakistani think tank Global Silk Route Research Alliance. China's efforts to deepen reforms across the board have injected strong momentum into the country's high-quality development and pursuit of Chinese modernization. A China-Europe freight train bound for Istanbul, Turkiye, departs from Putian Station in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan province, July 10, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Wang Wei) Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China has deepened reforms across the board, with efforts concentrated on making reform more systemic, holistic, and coordinated and on stimulating the dynamism, vitality, and potential of high-quality development. International observers have paid close attention to the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. They believe that China's economy is undergoing a transition from old to new drivers of growth, and that a smooth transition can be guaranteed by further deepening reforms in a comprehensive manner. Iqbal Surve, chairman of South Africa's Independent Media, pointed out that China is building a modern industrial system underpinned by advanced manufacturing, which demonstrates the CPC's foresight, wisdom, courage, and resolve to push forward reforms. By solidly promoting high-level opening up, China has opened up vast space for economic development. During the first six months of this year, China has for the first time released a negative list for cross-border trade in services at the national level, expanded the opening up of value-added telecom services within pilot areas, and introduced new measures to encourage overseas institutions to invest in China's domestic sci-tech enterprises... Such policies and measures have demonstrated the country's resolve to promote reforms and development through opening up. China is the main trading partner of over 140 countries and regions, with its total volume of foreign trade in goods ranking first globally for seven consecutive years. China has expanded its circle of friends under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to include more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations, and the China-Europe freight train service now reaches over 200 cities in 25 European countries. In addition, international exhibitions hosted by the country, such as China International Import Expo, China International Fair for Trade in Services, China International Consumer Products Expo, and China International Supply Chain Expo, have served as win-win platforms for mutually beneficial cooperation across different countries. A prosperous China not only sustains its own future but also provides opportunities for other countries, said an article published on the website of Argentine newspaper Clarin. The Chinese economy is overcoming challenges and moving steadily forward along the country's path of high-quality development, which is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. Looking forward, China will provide more opportunities for countries worldwide and contribute to the stable and sound development of the global economy as it continuously marches toward modernization. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) A Russian court has convicted Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva of spreading false information about the Russian army and sentenced her to six and a half years in prison after a secret trial, court records and officials said. The conviction in the city of Kazan came on Friday, the same day that a court in the city of Yekaterinburg convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison in a case that the US called politically motivated. Advertisement Ms Kurmasheva, who worked for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and was an editor for the Tatar-Bashkir service, was convicted of spreading false information about the military, according to the website of the Supreme Court of Tatarstan. Alsu Kurmasheva worked for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (AP) Court spokesperson Natalya Loseva confirmed to the Associated Press that Ms Kurmasheva was sentenced to six and a half years in prison in a case classified as secret, with no details available about the nature of the accusations. Advertisement Asked about the verdict on Monday, Stephen Capus, RFE/RL president and chief executive, denounced the trial and conviction as a mockery of justice and said the only just outcome is for Alsu to be immediately released from prison by her Russian captors. Its beyond time for this American citizen, our dear colleague, to be reunited with her loving family, Mr Capus added in a statement to the AP. Ms Kurmasheva, who lives in Prague with her husband and two daughters, was taken into custody in October 2023 and charged with failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information about the Russian military. Later, she was also charged with spreading false information about the Russian military under legislation that effectively criminalised any public expression about the war in Ukraine that deviates from the Kremlin line. Advertisement Alsu Kurmasheva lives in Prague with her husband and two daughters (AP) She was initially stopped in June 2023 at Kazan International Airport after traveling to Russia the previous month to visit her ailing elderly mother. Officials confiscated her US and Russian passports and fined her for failing to register her US passport. She was waiting for her passports to be returned when she was arrested on new charges in October. RFE/RL has repeatedly called for her release. Advertisement RFE/RL was told by Russian authorities in 2017 to register as a foreign agent, but it has challenged Moscows use of foreign agent laws in the European Court of Human Rights. The organisation has been fined millions of dollars by Russia. In February, RFE/RL was outlawed in Russia as an undesirable organisation. The swift and secretive trials of Ms Kurmasheva and Mr Gershkovich in Russias highly politicised legal system raised hopes for a possible prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. Russia has previously signalled a possible exchange involving Mr Gershkovich, but said a verdict in his case must come first. Advertisement Evan Gershkovich stands listening to the verdict in a glass cage (AP) 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. Mr Gershkovich (32) was arrested on March 29th, 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 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 jail used during Josef Stalins purges, when executions were carried out in its basement. He was transferred to Yekaterinburg for the trial. Mr Gershkovich was the first US journalist arrested on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War. Foreign journalists in Russia were shocked by his arrest, even though the country has enacted increasingly repressive laws on freedom of speech after sending troops into Ukraine. US president Joe Biden said after his conviction that Mr Gershkovich was targeted by the Russian government because he is a journalist and an American. Crowder - "Grave Robber" | Shore Fire Media GRAMMY Nominated multi-instrumentalist Crowder releases a new version of his No. 1 single "Grave Robber. Available now via sixstepsrecords/Capitol CMG, this version features a captivating performance by 5x GRAMMY nominee, Zach Williams. Crowder and Williams' vocals blend dynamically, adding another gripping layer to the already powerful song. Written by Crowder, Ben Glover, and Jeff Sojka, the inspirational track emphasizes the truth that no matter what you are up against, God can conquer all things. Listen to Grave Robber Feat. Zach Williams Here "Grave Robber" served as the lead single from Crowders album 'The EXILE' (5.31), an album that earned him his 5th No. 1 spot on the Billboard Christian/Gospel Albums chart. Additionally, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Digital Albums, No. 6 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums, and No. 7 on Billboards All-Genre Top Album chart. With more than 21.5 million global streams already, it marks yet another remarkable debut for Crowder. "The EXILE" is the second installment in a three-part trilogy that began with "Milk & Honey," which also topped the Billboard Top 200 Christian Charts upon its release in 2021. Produced by the GRAMMY Award-winning team Glover and Sojka, this genre-bending 12-track collection of songs blends rock and traditional bluegrass elements with innovative urban beats. The Texas native, Atlanta resident headlined Winter Jam earlier this year and is set to cap the bill at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in August. Additionally, he will be hitting the road this fall with MercyMe as part of the Together Again Again Tour, and he will headline the Air1 Tour in November. For tickets and more information, visit crowdermusic.com. Crowder on Tour: Sat., Jul. 20 | UNITE Knoxville | Knoxville, TN Thurs., Jul. 25 | Kingsport Fun Fest - J. Fred Johnson Stadium | Kingsport, TN Fri., Jul. 26 | Motion Student Conference | Birmingham, AL Sat., Jul. 27 | The Caverns Outdoor Amphitheater | Pelham, TN Thurs., Aug. 1 | Freeborn County Fair | Albert Lea, MN Fri., Aug. 2 | Blue Gate Performing Arts Center | Shipshewana, IN Sat., Aug. 3 | Rock The lake 2024 | Lakeview, OH Wed., Aug. 7 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO Fri., Aug 9 | Amplify Festival | Benton, AR Sat., Aug. 10 | Ozarks Amphitheater | Camdenton, MO Mon., Aug 12 | Fraze Pavilion | Kettering, OH Thurs., Aug. 15 | SoulFest | Greenfield, MA Sat., Aug. 24 | Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds | Hiawasse, GA Fri., Aug 30 | Brown County Music Center | Nashville, IN Sat., Aug 31 | 40 Days & 40 Nights of Christian Music 2024 | Williamstown, KY Sun., Sept. 1 | Walworth County Fair | Elkhorn, WI Sun., Sept. 8 | The Ledge Amphitheater | Waite Park, MN Sat., Sept. 14 | Life Surge| Charlotte, NC Sun., Sept. 15 | Capitol Theatre | Wheeling, WV Mon., Sept. 16 | Packard Music Hall | Warren, OH Fri., Sept. 20 | Emens Auditorium | Muncie, IN Thurs., Oct. 3 | Dow Event Center | Saginaw, MI* Fri., Oct. 4 | Huntington Center | Toledo, OH* Sat., Oct. 5 | Marshall Health Network Arena | Huntington, WV* Thurs., Oct. 10 | Hertz Arena | Estero, FL* Fri., Oct. 11 | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center | Tallahassee, FL* Sat., Oct. 12 | Macon Coliseum | Macon, GA* Thurs., Oct. 17 | Santander Arena | Reading, PA* Fri., Oct. 18 |Chartway Arena | Norfolk, VA* Sat., Oct. 19 | Bon Secours Wellness Arena | Greenville, SC* Sun., Oct. 20 | North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center | North Charleston, SC* Fri., Oct. 25 | Brookshire Grocery Arena | Bossier City, LA* Sat., Oct. 26 | Paycom Center | Oklahoma City, OK* Sun., Oct. 27 | Rio Rancho Events Center | Rio Rancho, NM* Thurs., Nov. 7 | assesso ShoWare Center | Kent, WA+ Fri., Nov. 8 | Alaska Airlines Theater of the Clouds | Portland, OR+ Sat., Nov. 9 | Ford Idaho Center Arena | Nampa, ID+ Sun., Nov. 10 | Tahoe Blue Event Center | Stateline, NV+ Thu., Nov. 14 | Toyota Arena | Ontario, CA+ Fri., Nov 15 | Save Mart Center | Fresno, CA+ Sat., Nov. 16 | Footprint Center | Phoenix, AZ+ Sun., Nov. 17 | Rio Rancho Events Center | Rio Rancho, NM+ Thurs., Nov. 21 | Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land | Sugarland, TX+ Fri., Nov. 22 | BOK Center | Tulsa, OK+ Sat., Nov. 23 | Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie | Grand Prairie, TX+ Sun., Nov. 24 | T-Mobile Center | Kansas City, MO+ *Denotes opening for MercyMe on the Together Again Again Tour +Air1 Tour headlining date About Crowder: Known for his innovative blend of folk, rock, electronic and urban elements, Crowders distinct style is characterized by his soulful vocals and eclectic instrumentation. His ability to seamlessly blend genres, from bluegrass to electronic, sets him apart, and with more than 1.9 Billion global streams, he is one of the most influential voices in Contemporary Christian Music. Armed with five No. 1 radio singles, five GRAMMY nominations, and more than 20 Dove Award nominations four of those being wins Crowders exploration of faith, redemption, and personal transformation continue to catapult the genre forward. In addition to the awards and numerous RIAA Gold and Platinum certifications, the multi-instrumentalist is known for his genre-defying live performances that are anything but ordinary. Beyond his music, Crowder is also known for his philanthropic efforts and dedication to charitable causes. In 2024, he will release his sixth studio album 'The EXILE,' the second in a three-part series that began with Milk & Honey (2021). Crowder tours extensively and also performs at fairs and festivals across the US. For tickets and more info, visit crowdermusic.com. Advertisement Eating outJust open You wont find bog-standard smashed avo at these three new cafes, and they are all the better for it Start your day right at these newcomers serving brunch that flips the cafe script. Tomas Telegramma July 23, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share As featured in the August hit list. See all stories . Cafes that colour outside the lines arent in short supply in Melbourne, with many of the citys most popular daytime-dining options stretching well beyond smashed avo. These three welcome new additions from the CBD to Northcote are no exception, weaving in flavours from their owners backgrounds to pull away from the pack. Todo Good Coffee Bogota-born couple Santiago Villamizar and Carolina Talero have long been injecting their Colombian heritage into Melbournes cafe scene: they opened Fitzroys South American-style Sonido in 2010 and followed it up with Prestons Arepa Days in 2018. Since 2019, theyve been roasting their own Colombian coffee for both venues under the label Todo Good (todo means all, so all good, says Villamizar). And recently they opened a cafe of the same name their third in a cute corner spot in Northcote. Advertisement Todo Good Cafe occupies a former antique shop in Westgarth. Luis Enrique Ascui Doing the fit-out themselves, all burgundy tiles and pops of green, Villamizar and Talero started building a community of locals even before opening, and now the cafe heaves. Instead of bread, we have arepas, says Villamizar. The palm-sized cornbread pockets from Arepa Days come with fillings such as fried eggs, Istra bacon and barbecue sauce; and ropa vieja (pulled beef), guac and salsas. There are also rice bowls with similar toppings, as well as Colombian classics like empanadas, pandebono (cheese bread) and ajiaco, which Villamizar describes as a traditional mountain soup of potatoes and corn. The bacon and egg arepa at Todo Good Cafe. Luis Enrique Ascui Advertisement Todo Good roasts about 120 kilos of coffee beans a week and serves only three single-origins at a time, for espresso, filter and decaf. You can buy beans for home in 250g bags, or fill your own bag at the self-serve station, then pay by weight. Open Mon-Fri 7am-3.30pm; Sat-Sun 8am-4pm 1A Timmins Street, Northcote, todogood.com.au Cafe Jabelle Carlton Norths tree-lined Rathdowne Village has a new address for Middle Eastern dining: the family-run, Lebanese-inspired Cafe Jabelle, which opened early last month. Advertisement While owner Fadi Hamka has previously run Italian restaurants across Melbourne, I thought it was about time I show off my [Lebanese] heritage, he tells Good Food. And show people that you can eat this beautiful Middle Eastern food at any time of day. Cafe Jabelles sujuk egg bake. Traditional home-style Lebanese dishes such as cumin-spiced fava bean and chickpea stew stand out on the all-day breakfast menu. Theyre joined by more typical cafe dishes souped up with Middle Eastern flourishes. Theres grilled sujuk (spicy sausage) in the brekkie roll, and halva and rosewater syrup atop the pancake stack. Thursday to Saturday, Jabelle is also open for dinner (and, when its liquor licence is approved, drinks), serving both Lebanese small plates and big mixed-grill platters. Open Tue-Wed 7am-3pm; Thu-Sat 7am-9pm; Sun 7am-3pm Advertisement 645 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, instagram.com/cafejabelle Hareruya Pantry Kantaro Okada opened Japanese convenience store Hareruya Pantry in Carlton two years ago. But being in a laneway in the Melbourne CBD has always been a dream of mine, he says. Now, he has realised that dream with the opening of a second Hareruya Pantry, in Somerset Place (off Little Bourke Street near bustling Elizabeth Street), where hes bringing his cut-above grab-and-go offering to the office crowd. Kantaro Okada, who also founded sake bar Leonie Upstairs, sandwich specialist Le Bajo Milkbar and onigiri cafe 279, is bringing all of the Carlton favourites to the city. That includes seasonal bento boxes packed with a kaleidoscopic selection of osouzai (Japanese side dishes), and nikuman warm, fluffy steamed buns filled with pork and glass noodles. Advertisement Advertisement Eating outComing soon Team behind Paddys Markets revamp vows project wont be just another food court The developers of the Haymarket venture insist it will cater for everyone, as work starts on 47 food outlets. Scott Bolles July 23, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share The team behind the multimillion-dollar makeover of Paddys Markets in Haymarket has revealed key details about the project, insisting the venture will be an accessible and affordable mixed food market when it opens in January. Construction begins next week at the historic market after Sydney Markets Limited won a bitter battle in the NSW Supreme Court with standholders, who have been forced to relocate internally to make way for it. A computer generated image of the hawkers stall at Paddys Markets. Supplied With that final hurdle to the project cleared, Doltone Hospitality Group, which is spearheading the food precinct, has revealed that fresh food shopping will be central to the development. A butcher, grocer, deli, fishmonger and cheese stall will be among the 47 new outlets. Therell also be tons of spices [for sale], Doltones head of strategic growth and concepts, Peter Melick, says. We want to cater for everyone, [youll also] be able to grab a margarita and a lobster roll. Peter Melick, Doltone Advertisement These will open alongside eat-in and takeaway venues offering everything from Cypriot barbecue to tin can beverages from a themed bar. Melick says affordability is a cornerstone of the project, and it will be a site where Sydneysiders can get pizza by the slice, sit at a dumpling bar, chow on Lebanese street food or take a seat at an Italian sandwich bar. The mix is crucial to a successful market, Melick says, and Doltone has studied Adelaide Central Market and Melbournes Queen Victoria Market, as well as markets in the United States. Our managing director, Joseph Murray, did a lot of research on European markets, Melick says. A computer-generated impression of the food project backed by Doltone Hospitality Group. Supplied Its a market, we didnt want to go into food court mode. It has to be flexible, so youll be able to eat at our pasta bar, but also buy pasta sauce to take away. Melick says the project will include a large hawker section, including Asian food. We want to cater for everyone, [youll also] be able to grab a margarita and a lobster roll, he says. A tie-in with a yet-to-be-disclosed chef is also in the works. Advertisement The Haymarket market dates back to the 1800s, with its food lineage diluted by the relocation of wholesale fruit and vegetable operations to Flemington in 1975. Once the epicentre of Sydney fresh produce, it has experienced a steady increase in bric-a-brac and speciality traders, although some food operators remain. Melick declined to discuss the cost of the interior fitout, designed by Loop Creative, which is believed to be around $12 million. He says the sites history played a part in the design brief. We wanted it to be a homage to what happened there in the past. Originally, we wanted to capture the 1950s, with Lebanese, Italian and Greek immigration. But its history goes so much further back, and its location [next to Chinatown]. Its also important we capture whats happening right now in Sydney, he says. Exclusive Coming soon: 16 hot new Sydney restaurants still to open this year Advertisement Review Eating outSydney This two-hatted wine bar has had a French makeover but does it have that je ne sais quoi? Remember the days of silver service, candlelight and duck a lorange? Well, theyre back at Monopole, and we are here for it. Terry Durack July 23, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share As featured in the August hit list. See all stories . 1 / 7 The go-to dish: pate de foie de canard (duck liver parfait) with Bandol rose jelly and grilled bread. Dion Georgopoulos 2 / 7 Millefeuille danguille fume. the flaky pastry sandwiching smoked eel, horseradish and remoulade. Dion Georgopoulos 3 / 7 To begin, a glass of kir, the Burgundian white wine mellowed by blackcurrant liqueur. Dion Georgopoulos 4 / 7 Slices of duck breast, with crisp skin and rosy meat, are lapped by an orange-scented glaze. Dion Georgopoulos 5 / 7 Marron boudin blanc is served with a shellfish bisque and morels. Dion Georgopoulos 6 / 7 Baba au Calvados is a yeasty sponge splashed with apple brandy amd served with candied kumquats. Dion Georgopoulos 7 / 7 Linen tablecloths and flickering candles have softened and warmed Monopoles dining room. Dion Georgopoulos Previous Slide Next Slide Good Food hat Good Food hat 16.5 / 20 How we score French$$$$ Theyre calling it a French revolution. But this seemingly sudden desire by former city wine bar Monopole to cover the tables with linen and cook from the classic French repertoire is more of an evolution. Mind you, its pretty spectacular stuff, and for this old dog, its a backyard Ive rolled around in and dug up before. Twas a time of kirs and quenelles, millefeuilles and vol-au-vents, of silver service and velvet drapes. And now it is again. Yes, Ill take a kir, thank you, correctly made with a Burgundian aligote white wine ($18), stained with just enough cassis to mellow, not sweeten. Advertisement Millefeuille danguille fume, a creamy explosion of flaky pastry, smoked eel, celeriac and apple. Dion Georgopoulos And a millefeuille danguille fume ($26), merci very much; the ultra-fine layers of pressed pastry sandwiched with creamy celeriac and apple remoulade, creamy smoked eel and creamy horseradish cream that is explosively good. And creamy. At the other end of the meal, the baba au calvados ($22) comes from the same rich-but-light playbook, the yeasty sponge ethereal, the pouring of apple brandy giving it heft, along with a clutch of candied kumquats and Chantilly cream. When you have classically trained in the French style, it seems a crime not to use that precision and technique to create velvety sauces and bisques and make pastry and charcuterie. Brent Savage credits chefs Mark Best and Jeremy Strode with that part of his journey, but he brings a subtle lightness and brightness of his own. Guillaume Dubois has been installed as head chef, working with Bentley Group exec chef Aiden Stevens, and for these opening weeks at least Savage himself, on the pans. You know youre in French territory when there is duck on the menu, and duck liver parfait, and a duck burger whose patty uses up the offcuts. The wedge of parfait ($24) is rich but light, shimmering with pink Bandol rose jelly, and topped with pretty pickles, with grilled bread on the side. Advertisement Duck liver parfait is topped with Bandol rose jelly and pretty pickles. Dion Georgopoulos Our tour de canard continues with a signature duck a lorange ($66), an elegant presentation of textbook crisp skin, rosy red meat, and a pool of shallot-sweet, lightly spiced, orange-scented glaze. And on the wine side because, with the Bentley group, there is always a wine side co-owner Nick Hildebrandt indulges his passion for Cote du Rhone, which he calls a wine for the people. His collection of that cult liqueur Chartreuse also plays out across cocktails and a mint-green granita. A smooth, spicy Julien Cecillon Graviers Syrah from the Northern Rhone ($18 glass) teams well with the duck, although its a 120ml pour rather than the more welcome 150ml. I know every little bit counts for restaurants these days, but let me just say its the same for us diners. The boudin blanc dhomard is a clever dish, effectively two rounds of steamed light-but-rich marron mousse resting on a classic shellfish bisque with morels and a gnarly little marron tail ($56). Advertisement All the sauces here smell of theres only one word for it France. Its lodeur de France as well as la tour de France. A glass of Loic Mahe organic chenin blanc ($22) places me firmly in the Loire. Linen tablecloths and flickering candles have softened and warmed the dining room. Dion Georgopoulos Those who know Monopole wont be too dismayed by the physical changes. Theres a hint of neon, velvet drapes, linen cloths, candles, and the charm of scallop-edged plates, but its just a softer, warmer Monopole, more like a seasonal change of dress. This is the sort of Frenchiness I adore: to see tarragon and chervil in their natural habitat, to crunch through bitter endive salad with a properly bitey vinaigrette, to dive deep with regional varietals, and to be reminded just how enjoyable a cheese course can be. Monopole isnt cranking out the usual bistro or brasserie menu (much as we love them), but takes a fresh look at defining modern French cooking. It might be full circle for Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt, but theyre on a roll. Which makes it a revolution, after all. Advertisement The low-down Vibe: A contemporary tour de France through food and wine Go-to dish: Pate de foie de canard, Bandol rose jelly, grilled bread, $24 Drinks: French aperitifs and killer wine list starring French wines and varietals Cost: About $190 for two, plus drinks One of Sydneys oldest Japanese restaurants reopens with something special up its sleeve Pioneers of Australian comedy Rod Quantock and Mary Kenneally had their legendary senses of humour brazenly dismantled when a bank impersonator took only minutes to steal $30,000 of their savings. It was a few days before Christmas last year. Quantock had not long been discharged from hospital following a cardiac procedure, and was still recovering from anaesthetic, when he got a call from a man falsely claiming to be from Bendigo Banks fraud team. Veteran comedian Rod Quantock. Credit: Wayne Taylor Your account has been hacked, the conman said. In order to save your account, we have set up another account for you to transfer funds to, in order to stop the scam. Not long after transferring the money perhaps an hour later Quantock remembers feeling a creeping sense that something was not right, and he contacted his local Bendigo Bank branch. Microsoft operates an open operating system, allowing developers access to the core or kernel of its system under a competition policy agreement it reached with the European Commission in 2009 that gives security software providers the same level of access to Windows as Microsoft itself has. That, and Windows dominance, may explain why Microsoft has been subjected to a series of cyber hacks in recent years. These hacks forced Microsoft to promise to overhaul its systems security. Microsoft has said it will use artificial intelligence and automation to make its software more secure. Melbourne Airport passengers affected by the global outage. Credit: Getty Images Part of the companys challenge is the complexity of its business, which offers its products (including its market-leading cybersecurity products) via the cloud to companies with their own servers and via patches for legacy systems. That, and the fact that the computers had to be online to receive the infected update, explains why different businesses were impacted differently and even individual computers and other pieces of technology within those businesses responded differently. What happened on Friday wasnt, thankfully, a cyberattack but a mistake made by a developer with privileged access to the heart of Microsofts operating system, a level of access Microsoft might normally reconsider, although the legal implications and CrowdStrikes need for that level of access to protect its customers and its own anti-virus software might complicate any effort to reduce that particular vulnerability. CrowdStrike, which has grown rapidly and aggressively, might also need to examine its own processes and do significantly more stress-testing of the updates it sends routinely to its customers. Enterprise customers might need to think more deeply about whether writing increasingly large cheques to effectively outsource the protection of their own networks is sufficient. In the global, interconnected, web of multitudes of different systems and software on which the modern global economy relies, with its global supply chains and just-in-time processes and real-time payments infrastructure, the stability and security of the relatively new digital architecture is taken for granted, until it isnt. Usually, as weve seen here with the Medibank and Optus cyber hacks, it is criminal activity that exposes the flaws in that architecture. The CrowdStrike episode is chilling because it highlights how a single, flawed, software update from a trusted source one of a multitude that occurs routinely can cause large parts of the global system to fail. The global dominance of the Windows operating system and the dominance of the three major cloud providers Microsoft, Amazon and Googles parent, Alphabet means that any mistake they make or distribute will have global ramifications. Loading Competition regulators may need to examine that dominance and the risks to competition and security it represents. It might also be that companies need to consider reducing their reliance on single providers and investing more in backup systems so that they can continue to operate if the Blue Screens of Death ever reappear within their networks. Perhaps some thought will need to be given to old-school fallbacks that dont involve IT systems. The pandemic caused companies to rethink and redesign their physical supply chains, re-shoring or near-shoring critical elements. CrowdStrikes software bug might, indeed should, force a similar re-evaluation of corporate and government systems vulnerabilities. Artificial intelligence is seen as a potential aid to improving cybersecurity, improving systems ability to identify and respond immediately to cyber threatseven as some of those involved in developing AI products warn that it could represent a threat to humankind. Fridays global outage is a reminder of how dependent the world has become on increasingly complex and increasingly interconnected technologies, with data flowing through quite concentrated choke points including, increasingly, the cloud and AI providers. Those represent potential points of global failure, whether generated by sloppy coding or something more malicious. AI might help strengthen the protections against such failures but could just as easily add new vulnerabilities. The global technology ecosystem is so large and complex and vulnerable to human error or unlawful intent that it is inconceivable that it could ever be made completely secure. It is, however, incumbent on the big tech companies on which the system rests to make it as safe and resilient as is practicable and to prioritise that objective over speed to market and profit. If they cant, it is inevitable that governments will intervene to regulate their operations more closely. CrowdStrike is now likely to be hit by a deluge of lawsuits and the loss of significant chunks of its customer base. Microsoft was already under siege from customers and governments for the previous breaches of its security. There are obvious commercial rationales for Microsoft, Amazon and Google, and the host of developers who work with them, to do whatever they can to avoid a repeat of what happened on Friday. 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 I need you and Mike at the house, President Joe Biden said late on Saturday afternoon. Biden was on the phone from his holiday home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with Steve Ricchetti, a counsellor to the president and one of his closest advisers. He was referring to Mike Donilon, his chief strategist and long-time speechwriter. Soon, both men were in Rehoboth Beach, socially distanced from the president, who was recovering from COVID. From that afternoon and far into the night, the three worked on one of the most important and historic letters of Bidens presidency the announcement of his decision to withdraw from his re-election campaign after top Democrats, donors, close allies and friends had pressured him relentlessly to get out. He would not tell most of his staff until a minute before making the historic announcement to the world on social media on Sunday (Monday AEST). Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden went on to endorse, spoke to him earlier on Sunday morning, as did Jeff Zients, his chief of staff, and Jen OMalley Dillon, his campaign chair. A handful of senior advisers at the White House heard directly from the president on a Zoom call. Others in the West Wing learnt when they saw it on social media. I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down, he wrote, and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term. The concession was stunning, and discordant with the steady drumbeat of furious denials in the past few days from Bidens campaign. It underscored how the president has kept information tightly controlled among a tiny circle of friends, long-time advisers and family members something that has been true throughout his presidency, but especially during the crisis that has engulfed him since last months debate. Advertisement From the time the president arrived in Delaware with COVID late on Wednesday night, telling reporters I am doing well, there have been two political realities. One was a sprawling campaign infrastructure on autopilot, determined to march ahead by continuing to champion Biden. The other was playing out inside the 636-square-metre home with a sign over the front door paying tribute to the presidents son who died in 2015: Beaus gift. Almost no one outside the house knew what Biden was thinking until he posted his statement on social media. Until that moment, Bidens allies had no choice but to assume that he was all in, until he made clear that he was out. Biden places an order at a South Carolina takeaway shop in 2020, while campaigning for the presidency. Credit: New York Times This account is based on interviews with people close to Biden, including lawmakers, donors, friends and family who were familiar with the presidents thinking as he made what may have been the most difficult political decision of his career. Absolutely in it! OMalley Dillon could not say it more plainly as she appeared on MSNBCs Morning Joe program to defend Biden. Absolutely, the presidents in this race, she said on Friday morning, a trace of exasperation in her voice. She added: Hes absolutely in it. Hes got to show that he is fighting for the American people. Hes done that day in and day out since the debate. Advertisement Like other confidants, OMalley Dillon was determined to keep the faith in public. At the campaign and at the White House, aides directed reporters to her comments as they insisted that the president was not wavering. But it was getting harder to ignore the panicking donors and elected Democrats who were turning on him in public. Over the course of the day on Friday, about a dozen more lawmakers called for the president to step aside and let someone else run. The quotes were damning: Massachusetts congressman Seth Moulton said Biden, a mentor and friend who had helped him get elected in 2014, didnt seem to recognise me when they met at the D-Day anniversary commemoration in France last month. Mike Donilon (left), Bidens chief strategist, and Steve Ricchetti, one of the presidents closest advisers, leave after a meeting with Senate Democrats in Washington this month. Credit: New York Times Throughout the day, there was no public word from Biden, who was hunkered down with wife Jill Biden, Ricchetti, deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, the first ladys senior adviser. People close to the president said they could sense that the seriousness of the moment was weighing on him. But if he knew he was going to drop out at that point, it was not clear, even to the small number of the people around him. By evening, some people very close to the president could sense that something was coming, telling others that the end of Bidens campaign seemed inevitable. But others were hearing a different message from the president. Advertisement Ron Klain, who served as Bidens first chief of staff in the White House and has continued to advise the president, called Biden on Friday night to pass along words of encouragement. Klain had received messages of support for Biden from senator Elizabeth Warren, as well as Faiz Shakir, a senior adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders. Stay in, Klain said he told Biden. Thats my intention, Biden responded. Thats what Im going to do. Still on the playing field The national co-chairs of Bidens campaign gathered on their regular call on Saturday morning, bracing for what they thought could be big news about Bidens future. The call was hosted by OMalley Dillon and included Jeffrey Katzenberg, a Hollywood mogul and donor, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, and several other high-profile figures who had been early endorsers of Bidens bid for a second term. Advertisement Loading Given everything that had happened just the day before, they expected dire news. But the group was stunned when staff members simply began a rote description of the latest details on door-knocking and social media. After about a half hour, two or three of the exasperated co-chairs interrupted, saying they needed to talk about the elephant in the room. An anguished discussion followed, but there was no resolution. Cedric Richmond, a former Democratic member of Congress and a long-time friend of the president, got on the call late but insisted that Bidens supporters were still behind him, especially those who benefit from his policy goals, including childcare and diversity. Joe Biden is still on the playing field, so I will wear that Team Biden jersey until the last bell rings, he said after the call ended. Asked if he thought Biden could withstand the flurry of negative news in recent days, Richmond said: I sure hope so. A week earlier, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, who is one of Bidens strongest allies, had delivered a grim message to his face. He told the president that most members of Congress were ready to turn the page on his candidacy, and he urged him to consider three things: the risks to his personal legacy, the future of the country and the impact on Congress if Democrats were to take steep losses in Novembers elections. Advertisement Future growth and support We continue to have an appetite to grow organically and acquisitively, Russell said. The addition of Keylend will take us to over 600 brokers nationally and see us continuing to search for quality brokers to recruit, as well as strong state-based and national broker groups to acquire. Dino Pacella (pictured above), event founder and head of third-party relationships at Simplicity Loans & Advisory, said the promotion is a fantastic opportunity for industry professionals to bring along a colleague or friend to one of the year's most anticipated events in the mortgage and finance sector. Indian Oil Corporation plans to increase its natural gas sales threefold and expand its renewable energy capacity to 31 GW by 2030. Additionally, the company aims to establish a 5 GWh lithium-ion battery production capacity by 2031 as part of its strategy to diversify its energy portfolio. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp As the largest oil refiner and retailer in India, Indian Oil has been focusing on developing its non-oil sectors, including investments in petrochemicals and natural gas. In response to the growing global emphasis on combating climate change, the state-owned enterprise is also incorporating renewable energy and battery technologies into its offerings, the report said. Indian Oil has signed a strategic partnership with Panasonic Energy of Japan to explore the potential for producing lithium-ion battery cells within India. Lithium-ion batteries The company has entered into a strategic agreement with Panasonic Energy Company, Japan, to explore opportunities for advanced cell manufacturing of Lithium-ion batteries in India. In its report titled Integrated Annual Report 2023-24, Indian Oil said, With a vision to propel Make in India for the world, the JV plans to establish a one GWh capacity factory by 2027, with an ambitious expansion to 5 GWh by 2031. This collaboration aims to position India as a global hub for advanced battery technology, supporting the nations transition to sustainable energy and transportation solutions. Battery swapping stations Indian Oil is also leveraging its broad network of fuel retail locations by investing in battery swapping stations and expanding its electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Currently, the company has provided battery swapping services at 99 fuel stations for electric vehicle users. Battery swapping offers a quick and convenient solution for EV users, eliminating long charging times, extending battery life and reducing electronic waste, the report said. It plans to develop a renewable energy capacity of 31 GW by 2030, focusing mainly on solar and wind initiatives. The company aims to enhance our renewable energy capacity to 31 GW by 2030, primarily through solar and wind projects. This expansion aligns with Indias target to achieve 500 GW of installed renewable capacity by the same year, the report further said. The company plans to maintain growth in its core fossil fuel sector, expecting an increase in domestic oil demand over the next decade. It aims to boost its capacity by 17 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) through upgrades at its Barauni (from 6 to 9 MMTPA), Panipat (from 15 to 25 MMTPA), and Vadodara (from 13.7 to 18 MMTPA) refineries. The dispute between Hiremath siblings and their uncle Baba Kalyani, chairman of Pune-based Kalyani Group, took an interesting turn on Monday as Sameer Hiremath and his sister Pallavi Swadi submitted a proposal to the Pune civil court seeking mediation with their uncle to end the family dispute. Sameer and Pallavi are children of Sugandha Hiremath, younger sister of Baba Kalyani. The Hiremaths have sought division of family assets. In the hearing on Monday, the Hiremath counsel told the court that Babas claims against the elders in the family were very disturbing and harmed the familys reputation. Cashfree Payments, a company specialising in banking solutions and payments, on Monday received the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) nod to operate as a payment aggregator-cross border (PA-CB) nearly a year after the banking regulator issued a circular on the regulation of such entities. The Bengaluru-based company is one of the first non-banks to receive the PA-CB licence, according to the RBIs website. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp With the Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB) licence, we are now well-positioned to support global businesses and globally regulated entities collecting payments in India. The licence also enables us to offer Indian exporters and freelancers cross-border payment solutions, a Cashfree Payments spokesperson said in a statement. PAs-CB are entities that facilitate cross-border payment transactions for the import and export of permissible goods and services in the online mode, according to the RBI. The RBI categorises PA-CBs as Export only PA-CB (PA-CB-E), Import only PA-CB (PA-CB-I), and Export and Import PA-CB (PA-CB-E&I). Cashfree Payments has received approval to operate as a PA-CB-E&I on Monday. In a circular issued in October 2023, the RBI had mandated minimum net worth requirements for non-banks to operate as PA-CBs. This included a minimum net worth of Rs 15 crore at the time of the application to the regulator, and a Rs 25 crore net worth by March 31, 2026. New non-banks are required to attain a minimum net worth of Rs 25 crore by the end of the third financial year of the grant of authorisation. Kataria Industries IPO allotment status today: The basis of allotment of Kataria Industries shares are scheduled today, July 22, 2024. The three-day subscription window for the initial public offering of Kataria Industries, which closed on Friday, July 19, 2024, received massive demand from investors as it was booked a whopping 393.87 times by the last date of subscription. Kataria Industries IPO was available in the price band of Rs 91-96 per share. The company has fixed Rs 96 as the issue price for the IPO. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Kataria Industries IPO subscription status Kataria Industries IPO was subscribed 274.61 times in the retail category and 970.17 times in the NII category, while the QIB category received 171.04 times subscription. The issue was available at a price band of Rs 91 to Rs 96 per share with a lot size of 1200 shares. Kataria Industries IPO Allotment Status The shares for Kataria Industries are scheduled to be allotted today. Once the allotment is finalised, investors can check the allotment status by visiting the official website of Bigshare Services Pvt Ltd, the registrar for the issue, or by using this link: [ Kataria Industries IPO Allotment Status] Kataria Industries IPO GMP The unlisted shares of Kataria Industries are currently trading at a premium of Rs 70 or 72.92 per cent over the issue price, according to several websites that track grey market activities. Kataria Industries listing price prediction Shares of Kataria Industries are scheduled to list on the NSE SME on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Based on the current GMP, the companys shares may list around Rs 166 (GMP + Issue Price), yielding a return of nearly 73 per cent to its investors. About Kataria Industries Kataria Industries Limited is one of the leading manufacturing organizations of LRPC (HT) Strands & various other Steel Wire, PT Anchorages, Sheathing Ducts, and Aluminium Conductors. The company is also involved in wind power generation for captive consumption. Nomura on BPCL: Nomura, a Japan-based brokerage firm, maintains a positive outlook on Bharat Petroleum Corporate Limited (BPCL), reiterating its 'Buy' rating. We maintain our FY25F-26F estimates and reiterate Buy with a target price (TP) of Rs 368, underpinned by a favourable refining and marketing outlook and attractive valuations, said Hemang Khanna, research analyst, Nomura. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Analysts said BPCL reported a robust performance in the June quarter (Q1FY25) despite a challenging environment. They foresee a favourable outlook for refining operations throughout the remainder of the year, anticipating increased refining demand. They also believe that the most challenging period for FY25 may have passed already. According to reports, Citi also reiterated its 'Buy' rating on the stock with a target price set at Rs 380 per share. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley affirmed its 'Overweight' stance with a target price of Rs 366 per share. Jeffries also upheld its 'Buy' recommendation, adjusting the target price upward to Rs 385 per share from Rs 365 per share. We expect crude prices to remain range-bound in FY25F around current levels, with current futures factoring in $82/bbl; at current prices, auto fuel marketing margins of Rs 5/litre remain well above normative levels. Given a favourable refining construct and range-bound crude prices, we see upside risks to our conservative auto fuel marketing margin of Rs 3/litre for FY25 and refining margins for FY26 of $9/bbl. BPCL trades at an attractive valuation of 1.4x FY26F P/B. BPCL is our top pick in the OMCs, Khanna added. Earnings highlights BPCL reported a strong performance in the first quarter of FY25, with an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of Rs 56.5 billion, surpassing estimates by 5 per cent, Nomura said in a note. However, the figure marked a major 39 per cent sequential (Q-o-Q) decline due to higher-than-expected refining margins, which were partially offset by lower marketing margins. The results, analysts noted, were impacted by LPG under-recoveries amounting to Rs 20.2 billion. The net income for the quarter stood at Rs 30 billion (earnings per share: Rs 7.1), reflecting a 29 per cent decrease from the previous quarter but surpassing estimates by 16 per cent, primarily driven by lower-than-anticipated interest costs. Meanwhile, interest expenses amounted to Rs 4.4 billion, declining 15 per cent sequentially and 35 per cent year-on-year. Depreciation, depletion, and amortisation (DD&A) expenses were recorded at Rs 16.8 billion, showing a marginal 2 per cent decrease compared to the previous quarter. Reported refining margins were $7.9 per barrel (excluding SAED impact), exceeding expectations of $6.3 per barrel but declining sharply by $4.6 per barrel quarter-on-quarter. BPCL's realised refining margins maintained a premium of $4.4 per barrel over Reuters Singapore refining margins. The normalised marketing margin of Rs 5,409 per tonne was below forecasts, declining 27 per cent from the previous quarter. The decline, Nomura said, was attributed to lower blended auto-fuel marketing margins (Rs 3.9 per litre compared to Rs 4.8 per litre in Q4FY24) and LPG under-recoveries. Reported marketing margins stood higher at Rs 5,712 per ton, benefiting from Rs 4.1 billion in marketing inventory gains. During the quarter, BPCL also processed 10.1 million tonnes of crude oil, a 2 per cent decrease from the previous quarter, slightly below expectations. However, domestic sales volumes remained stable at 13.2 million tonnes quarter-on-quarter, while export sales volumes increased 17 per cent to 0.3 million tons from a lower base. Conference call highlights, Outlook Management highlighted that BPCL is aiming to expand its Bina refinery capacity from 7.8 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes by FY29, with a total investment of Rs 490 billion. The company plans to allocate Rs 20 billion towards this project in FY25, anticipating a considerable increase in capex from FY28 onwards. In FY24, management said, BPCL clocked an annual marketing sales of 52.2 million tonnes, with approximately 5.5 million tonnes sourced from other refiners to meet demand. It further highlighted plans to explore new refinery capacity on the east coast to bridge future supply gaps. That apart, Russian crude accounted for 39 per cent of BPCL's total crude throughput, remaining stable quarter-on-quarter. Discounts on Russian crude, they said, narrowed year-on-year to $4-5 per barrel but remained consistent sequentially. BPCL has also commenced city gas distribution (CGD) operations in 25 out of 26 geographical areas (GAs) planned. The company has allocated Rs 250 billion for CGD infrastructure, with Rs 58 billion already invested. A capex of Rs 28 billion is projected for FY25, with major sales volume growth anticipated from FY26-FY27 onwards. On the debts front, standalone gross debt, excluding lease liabilities, decreased by Rs 36 billion quarter-on-quarter, amounting to Rs 152 billion. Furthermore, BPCL has reaffirmed its capex guidance of Rs 164 billion for FY25. On the bourses, BPCL stock was trading marginally lower at Rs 303.70 per share, at 9:26 AM. In comparison, BSE Sensex was trading 0.41 per cent lower at 80,273.66 levels. OPPO is set to expand its budget 5G smartphone lineup in India with the launch of the OPPO K12x 5G on July 29. The Chinese smartphone maker said that the OPPO K12x 5G will feature segment-leading durability features and will be rated IP54 for dust and water resistance. The smartphone will boast the company's proprietary splash touch technology, which OPPO said will make the smartphone operable even when the display is wet. OPPO has also detailed some of the K12xs key details including display and battery specifications, and AI features. Here are the details: OPPO K12x 5G: What to expect Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp OPPO said that the upcoming K12x 5G smartphone will sport a 360-degree damage-proof armour body. The company said that it has used drop-resistant materials inspired by the structure of a sponge to cushion the internal components of the smartphone. Additionally, the smartphones display will be protected by twice-reinforced Panda Glass. With these features, the smartphone is said to boast MIL-STD-810H military standard certification for durability. OPPO has also confirmed that the smartphone will come with an air cushion armour case out-of-the-box for further protection. The OPPO K12x 5G smartphone will be 186g heavy and measure 7.68mm at its thinnest point. The company also said that it will get matte finish around the frame for more grip. The smartphone will be available in Breeze Blue and Midnight Violet colours. OPPO K12x 5G: Specifications The OPPO K12x 5G smartphone has been confirmed to feature a 6.67-inch HD+ display of 120Hz refresh rate. The display will boast up to 1000nits peak brightness and support for Widevine L1 certification for streaming video content from platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. The smartphone will be powered by a 5100mAh battery and will support 45W wired charging. A 45W SUPERVOOC charger will be included in the box. As for the built-in features, OPPO said that the K12x smartphone will get the companys AI Linkboost technology that uses artificial intelligence to improve connectivity and faster network recovery in elevators, basements and more. The smartphone will also get a Dual View Video feature, allowing users to record videos from front and back camera systems simultaneously. Display: 6.67-inch HD+, 120Hz refresh rate, 1000nits peak brightness Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 RAM: 8GB Storage: up to 256GB Rear camera: 50 MP primary + 2MP depth sensor Front camera: 16MP Battery: 5100mAh Charging: 45W wired AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will host an in-person and virtual press conference at the AHF booth (#111) during the 2024 International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024) on Tuesday, July 23 at 13:15 CEST (7:15 a.m. US EDT) in Munich, Germany, at the Messe Munchen Convention Center and virtually via Zoom. During the press conference, public health advocates and experts will reiterate how global access to affordable medicines is being subverted by the pursuit of profit-at-all-cost strategy employed by Gilead Sciences and other Big Pharma companies. Unabated corporate greed keeps millions of people in low- and middle-income countries from accessing lifesaving medicines they need to stay alive and healthy. WHAT: AHF to host LIVE and VIRTUAL GREEDY GILEAD PRESS CONFERENCE during the International AIDS Conference 2024 (AIDS 2024). WHEN: Tuesday, July 23 at 13:15 CEST (7:15 a.m. US EDT) Munich, Germany WHERE: AHF AIDS 2024 BOOTH 111 at Messe Munchen Convention Center and VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. WHO: Public health expertsand advocates: Dr. V. Sam Prasad , Country Program Director, AHF India Cares , Country Program Director, AHF India Cares Dr. Victor Popoola , Medical Manager, AHF Sierra Leone , Medical Manager, AHF Sierra Leone Guillermina Alaniz , Director of Global Advocacy & Policy, AHF , Director of Global Advocacy & Policy, AHF John Farina, Associate Director of Advocacy, AHF NEWS DESK NOTE & B-ROLL VISUALS Press conference will be live streamed on Zoom & Facebook from the AHF AIDS 2024 conference booth. Visit the AHF FACEBOOK page or ZOOM LINK to watch. Visit www.gilead.org for more information about the Greedy Gilead campaign. MEDIA CONTACTS: Denys Nazarov, Director of Global Policy & Communications, AHF, +1.323.308.1829, [email protected] Brian Shepherd, Associate Director of Global Communications, AHF, +1.808.382.8570, [email protected] "Gilead has harmed people living with HIV worldwide for two-plus decades by securing continual patents, known as 'evergreening,' and generating billions of dollars through monopolies on some of the most effective and well-tolerated antiretroviral HIV drugs. There's no better place than AIDS 2024 to make everyone aware and demand that Gilead choose lives over its greedy tactics that limit access to medicines people worldwide desperately need," said AHF Chief of Global Advocacy & Policy Terri Ford. "As a leading global HIV/AIDS organization with more than 2 million patients in care in 47 countries, AHF is taking a stand and calling out Gilead so that governments and decision-makers everywhere put collective pressure on it to prioritize lives over obscenely high profits." Advocates will also highlight the fact that HIV/AIDS is not overas it remains a pandemic and a significant global public health crisis responsible for 630,000 deaths every year globally. According to UNAIDS, more than 39 million people were living with HIV in 2022, including 1.3 million people who had newly acquired the virus. Since the AIDS pandemic started, more than 40 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a global non-profit organization providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 2 million people in 47 countries worldwide in Africa, the Americas, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. We are currently the largest non-profit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the world. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240721281722/en/ Games Global Limited (Games Global or the Company) today announces Gavin Isaacs has agreed with the Company that, in connection with his appointment to CEO of Entain plc from 2nd September 2024, he will step down from his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors with immediate effect. Gavin will remain on the Board of Games Global as an Independent Non-Executive Director. The Company wishes to thank Gavin for his guidance, input and leadership as Chairman since his appointment in October 2022 and looks forward to continuing to work with him in his capacity as a Non-Executive Director. Walter Bugno, the Companys CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, will act as Interim Chairman until a new permanent Chairman is appointed. Walter Bugno, CEO and Interim Chairman, commented I would like to congratulate Gavin on his appointment as CEO of Entain plc. He has been a tireless advocate for Games Global and as Chairman has played a key leadership role in building our business. We very much look forward to continuing to benefit from his insight and expertise as a member of our Board. Gavin Isaacs commented It has been a pleasure and a privilege to lead the Board of Games Global for almost two years and I look forward to continuing to be part of the Companys exciting journey. Games Global is a unique business and, whilst I am disappointed to be standing down as Chairman, taking up a full-time executive role as CEO of Entain plc is an incredible opportunity for me personally. About Games Global: Games Global is a leading supplier of unique and innovative iGaming content. With a proprietary catalogue comprising of more than 1,300 games, a record-breaking progressive jackpot network, 40 in-house and partnered studios, and a world-class distribution channel servicing some 600 global gaming branded websites, Games Global delivers force and direction to online gaming, bringing together what it considers to be the industrys biggest and brightest stars. Visit www.gamesglobal.com to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240721534506/en/ MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community, today announced the launch of MSCI Private Capital Indexes (Indexes), advancing the firms commitment to fostering transparency and innovation across the global private markets landscape. With growing investor interest in private markets, high quality data and consistent performance measurement of private capital funds and portfolios are crucial to providing clarity for investment decisions. The MSCI Private Capital Indexes meet these investor needs, building upon MSCIs independence and expertise in driving transparency and introducing robust data and solutions across asset classes. The Indexes, constructed from a broad universe of private capital funds with over $11 trillion in capitalization, leverage MSCI's transparent methodologies and reputation for rigorously verified data. Encompassing private equity, private credit, private real estate, private infrastructure, and private natural resources, these 130 Indexes complement MSCIs over 80 existing real asset fund and property indexes providing investors with a comprehensive view of global private markets and the full risk spectrum of private real asset investing. Coupled with MSCI's suite of equity and fixed-income indexes, these private capital indexes offer a multi-asset perspective for investors across their portfolios. Institutional investors can leverage these Indexes to meet their unique investment mandates and achieve long-term financial goals, while detailed insights from these Indexes can enable strategic asset allocation for asset owners. Henry Fernandez, Chairman and CEO of MSCI, said: Investors need tools that will help them cut through the complexity of private markets and take advantage of new investment opportunities. Our private capital indexes allow investors to gain clarity across their investments through high quality validated data and industry leading index construction. With over 50 years of research and expertise as a leader in the index industry, MSCI also offers advanced custom benchmarking solutions to support asset allocation analysis, detailed performance reporting, and robust risk management for investors unique investment strategies and objectives. About MSCI Inc. MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community. With over 50 years of expertise in research, data, and technology, we power better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently build more effective portfolios. We create industry-leading research-enhanced solutions that clients use to gain insight into and improve transparency across the investment process. To learn more, please visit www.msci.com. MSCI#IR This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or performance and involve risks that may cause actual results or performance differ materially and you should not place undue reliance on them. Risks that could affect results or performance are in MSCIs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year ended on December 31 that is filed with the SEC. MSCI does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements. No information herein constitutes investment advice or should be relied on as such. MSCI grants no right or license to use its products or services without an appropriate license. MSCI MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION HEREIN AND DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240722944528/en/ How ASEAN fruits efficiently, conveniently enter China 09:43, July 22, 2024 By Zhang Niansheng, Bai Yuanqi, Zhang Yunhe ( People's Daily Fruits from ASEAN countries have entered the Chinese market more efficiently and conveniently in recent years. This favorable trend is attributed to the full implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the China-Laos Railway, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), and other projects promoting regional connectivity, along with the rapid development of e-commerce platforms and cross-border cold-chain logistics systems, as well as China's favorable policies and measures facilitating customs clearance. People's Daily reporters recently visited Chanthaburi province, the renowned fruit capital in eastern Thailand, Youyi Port in Pingxiang city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and the China-ASEAN (Chongzuo) Fruit Trading Center in Chongzuo city. They tracked the journey of ASEAN fruits from their places of origin to the dining tables of Chinese consumers. Chanthaburi province, Thailand Photo shows a distant view of a mangosteen orchard in Chanthaburi province, Thailand. (People's Daily/Bai Yuanqi) At 10 a.m., People's Daily reporters arrived at a mangosteen orchard in Chanthaburi province, where they received a warm welcome from an 84-year-old woman named Mary. She handed freshly picked mangosteens to everyone. "These mangosteens are all picked from century-old trees. We have over 70 such old trees in our orchard," said Mary's daughter, Chenisa. Before the break of dawn the next day, the Thai Mangosteen Association (TMA) headquarters was brightly lit and bustling with activity. A worker picks mangosteens with a long pole. (People's Daily/Bai Yuanqi) "Farmers have been bringing in the day's mangosteen harvest since sunset," explained Pippat, vice president of the TMA. In less than two years since its establishment, the association has already gathered a membership of over 1,000 farmers. "The huge Chinese market has brought opportunities for our rapid development," he added. At 6 a.m., several trucks were waiting to unload and transfer goods outside a mangosteen processing factory in Chanthaburi. Workers transfer mangosteens outside a mangosteen processing plant in Chanthaburi province, Thailand. (People's Daily/Bai Yuanqi) Inside the processing workshop of the factory, giant sorting machines rumbled as over 10 workers carefully checked each mangosteen passing by, sorting them according to size and ripeness. "These fruits are destined for China. In recent years, our products have been selling increasingly well, largely because of the vast Chinese market," said Nye, one of the workers. "Eastern Thailand's Chanthaburi, Rayong, and Trat provinces are major tropical fruit-growing regions especially famous for mangosteens and durians," said Monsit, governor of Chanthaburi province. Workers check every mangosteen carefully and sort them according to size and ripeness. (People's Daily/Bai Yuanqi) The development of the fruit industry in eastern Thailand has created numerous job opportunities, with tens of thousands of local people now working in this industry, Monsit said. Now, farmers enjoy a better quality of life due to their growing income. Meanwhile, the thriving fruit industry has contributed greatly to local economic and social development, Monsit noted. "We are looking forward to more and closer cooperation with the Chinese market," added the governor. A worker packages fruit in boxes. (People's Daily/Bai Yuanqi) Youyi Port, China At 8 a.m., Youyi Port in China's Pingxiang city was bustling with the stream of cross-border vehicles loaded with ASEAN fruits, filling the air with the aroma of fruit and the echoing sound of train whistles. After pre-declaration, inspection at checkpoints, and weighing, refrigerated truck No. 98C18232 cleared customs smoothly. Gan Jianxing, a person responsible for customs declaration for this batch of imported fruits, used his mobile phone to log into an app named "smart Youyi Port," where information such as license plate numbers, cargo classification, and inspection platform codes was clearly displayed. In an effort to facilitate customs clearance for imported fruits, Youyi Port has established a durian-dedicated channel and a green channel for imported and exported agricultural products, according to Huang Feifei, a customs officer from Youyi Port. Customs officers check imported durians at Youyi Port in Pingxiang city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. (Photo/An Xiaomi) The port has also introduced an intelligent auxiliary management system for inspection, Huang noted. "Currently, the system automatically assigns inspection tasks to all 76 inspection platforms at the port. Refrigerated trucks carrying imported fruits are given priority in inspection, leading to a significant increase in the overall vehicle turnover rate," Huang explained. Youyi Port is China's largest land port for fruit imports and exports. In recent years, the port has been advancing its intelligent transformation, achieving remarkable results. Inspection space turnover efficiency has increased by 35 percent, and the quarantine processing time has been reduced by nearly 70 percent at the port. In 2023, fruit imports through Youyi Port totaled 23.92 billion yuan ($3.3 billion), a year-on-year increase of 262.9 percent. The full implementation of the RCEP and the accelerated development of the ILSTC have helped streamline cross-border transportation procedures, leading to a notable enhancement of customs clearance efficiency and substantial time and cost savings, contributing to the booming fruit trade between ASEAN and China, said Pattama Namwong, president of the TMA. China-ASEAN (Chongzuo) Fruit Trading Center Stepping into the China-ASEAN (Chongzuo) Fruit Trading Center, reporters were greeted by digital screens showing live updates of fruit transactions. As of June 30, 2024, the online platform of the center had completed a cumulative total of 174,654 international fruit trade transactions, with a trading volume of nearly 3.41 million tonnes and a transaction value of around 15.04 billion yuan. "Thanks to the combination of an online trading platform with traditional trading models, ASEAN fruits can flow more smoothly to China," explained Tan Weiping, an executive of the center. A young man named Ye Hongsheng sells durians via livestreaming at the China-ASEAN (Chongzuo) Fruit Trading Center in Chongzuo city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. (Photo/An Xiaomi) Ye Hongsheng, a 24-year-old man who sells fruits via livestreaming at the center, said that ASEAN fruits like durian and jackfruit are selling well, and langsat and mango have also become popular choices for consumers looking to try something new. "Now more and more consumers like to shop during livestreaming shows, and we've gained quite a number of loyal online followers," he said. "We help sell durians from over 1,000 mu (about 66.67 hectares) of orchards in Chanthaburi, Thailand, and we also cooperate with growers in Buon Ma Thuot city of Dak Lak province, and Tien Giang province in Vietnam on durian planting," said Lou Jiaoyue, Ye's mother, while checking the durian import list. Sources say that fresh fruit transportation primarily relies on cold-chain air freight and road transport. Fresh fruit can generally be delivered to central China's Hunan and Hubei provinces within 12 hours, while transportation to east China's Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and the country's northern regions can typically be completed within 48 hours. "The trade relations between China and ASEAN are becoming increasingly close, and Chinese consumer demand for ASEAN fruits has surged. We are optimistic about the market prospects of ASEAN fruits in China," said Lou. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) Gerard Couzens An 11-year-old Irish girl has died after plunging from the seventh floor of a Majorcan hotel where she was staying with her family. She is understood to have fallen around 65ft and landed on the roof of a first-floor restaurant. The tragedy happened at Club Mac, an all-inclusive three-star resort that specialises in families. A regional emergency coordination centre has offered the youngsters family trauma counsellors. One well-placed insider said: The girl who died was one of three children. The family were due to return to Ireland today. The youngsters parents were sleeping when she fell and had no idea what had happened until afterwards. A receptionist at Club Mac said this morning the resort was not commenting. Local reports are suggesting the child fell by accident, although the Civil Guard has not yet made any official comment. Paramedics and other emergency responders tried without success to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is expected to take place later on Monday. High Court reporters Ryanair and Aer Lingus have secured formal High Court permission to bring challenges against a decision by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to limit passenger numbers in Dublin Airport for the coming winter season. Last May, the IAA announced that it would be imposing a Passenger Air Traffic Movement (PATM) seat cap of just over 14.4 million passengers at Dublin Airport during the period commencing on October 27th, 2024, and ending March 29th, 2025. Both airlines claim the decision is legally flawed and should be set aside. The grounds of the airlines' challenges include that, in arriving at its decision, the IAA acted outside its powers, outside its jurisdiction, and has acted irrationally. It is also claimed that the IAA has failed to give proper reasons for its decision, and has breached various constitutional rights of the airlines, including their property rights. The airport's operator, daa, has also brought its own separate High Court action against the IAA's decision. When the airlines' cases came before the court on Monday, Martin Hayden SC, for Ryanair, and Paul Sreenan SC, for Aer Lingus, told the court that while all the cases are aimed at having the IAA's decision quashed, the airlines' actions have been brought on different legal grounds compared to that of the daa. Mr Sreenan said the decision will negatively impact Aer Lingus' ability to provide certain winter services, including flights taking children to Lapland around Christmas, as well as flights to ski resorts in France, Austria and Switzerland. Mr Hayden told the court Ryanair fears its business would be prejudiced by the decision, particularly if similar restrictions are put in place regarding passenger numbers for the Summer 2025 period. Counsel said, at present, Ryanair's "best guesstimate" is that another "artificial cap" on passenger numbers at the airport may result in the loss of some 5,600 slots or 1.1 million seasons for the period. This could see Ryanair lose up to 89 million that season, the court heard. As well as seeking orders quashing the IAA's decision, the airlines also seek a declaration that the respondent erred in law and acted contrary to its requirement and jurisdiction regarding the allocation of slots at EU airports in treating certain planning conditions of Dublin Airports Terminal 2 as relevant technical, operational and environmental constraints for setting coordination parameters for the airport. Daa and the UK-based Airport Coordination Limited, which is the appointed coordinator of slots at the Dublin Airport after the parameters have been set, are notice parties to the airlines' challenge. Both applications came before Ms Justice Niamh Hyland on Monday, who granted the airlines permission on an ex parte basi to bring their challenges. They said that in each of their cases both sides had the legal standing to bring their respective actions, had made out arguable grounds, and had no alternative way to challenge the decision except by way of judicial review. The judge adjourned the airlines' actions to a date next week. In reply to the judge, counsel for the airlines expressed their hope that all three challenges against the IAA's decision could be heard in succession by the same judge. Michael Bolton The former CEO of The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, Ian Elliott, has described Bishop Eamonn Casey as "a sexual predator". A RTE documentary, in partnership with the the Irish Mail on Sunday reporter Anne Sheridan, examines the Catholic Church's handling of allegations against the former Bishop of Galway, who died in 2017. His niece, Patricia Donovan, claims he first raped her at the age of five and that the sexual abuse continued for years. Mr Elliot found her account of what she experienced entirely credible, describing Bishop Casey as, on balance of probabilities, an offender, a sexual predator." "The fact of the matter is that individuals have come forward and spoken about numerous sexual activities, some consensual, others not. Many involved very young people. That is wrong and there is no justification for that, and it should have been stopped. "Those that have been distressed and hurt should be helped and supported by the Church. That is a major priority. Patricia Donovan tells the documentary of "The horror of being raped by him when I was five. "The violence and it just carried on in that vein. He had no fear of being caught. He thought he could do what he liked, when he liked, how he liked He was almost, like, incensed that I would dare fight against him, that I would dare try and hurt him, I would dare try and stop him... It didnt make any difference. I feel so absolutely and completely and utterly betrayed by the Church I was brought up in. The documentary, called Bishop Casey's Buried Secrets, also reveals how the Limerick Diocese paid over 100,000 in settlement to one of Bishop Caseys accusers after Caseys death. In early 2006, the Irish Bishops announced that Eamonn Casey was moving back to Ireland from England to retire. By this stage, the Vatican had now received at least two allegations of child sexual abuse against Bishop Casey. Bishop Casey consistently denied all the allegations of child sexual abuse made against him. Although all the complaints were reported to An Garda Siochana, he was never charged with, or prosecuted for, any sexual crimes. He was prepared to go to court to defend his reputation after two of his accusers brought civil cases against him. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Fiona Magennis A violent criminal who stamped on a mans head in an attack on New Years Day in Dublin city centre, leaving the victim with a significant brain injury, will serve an extra nine months in prison after the State objected to the undue leniency of his two-and-a-half year sentence. The victim, who was left unconscious on Aston Quay in the middle of the day, suffered a bleed on the brain and required a craniotomy and 96 staples in his head following the attack. The man had three pints of blood removed in hospital and has been left with a significant physical depression on the right side of his skull. He continues to suffer a marked decline in cognitive function, including memory loss, slurred speech and difficulty sleeping, the court heard. Jordan Maguire (24), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the corner of Aston Quay and Prices Lane on January 1st, 2023. He had been drinking and taking drugs for 48 hours prior to the offence, a previous hearing was told. Delivering judgement at the Court of Appeal on Monday, Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham said Judge Orla Crowe had erred in setting the headline sentence for Maguire at four years before reducing this to three years, with the final six months suspended. Quashing the original term, Mr Justice Birmingham set a headline sentence of five years before imposing a sentence of three years and nine months with the final six months suspended, meaning Maguire will serve three years and three months in prison. Carol Doherty BL, for the State, had argued that the sentencing judge erred by setting a headline sentence of four years imprisonment instead of the maximum of five years available. She said the headline sentence in the case should have reflected the serious nature of the offence having regard to the effect on the victim and Maguires culpability. Ms Doherty submitted that the headline sentence, together with the reduction to three years, the suspension of the final six months of the sentence and the backdating of the prison term to July 24th, 2023, rendered the term unduly lenient. Parameters Oisin Clarke BL, for Maguire, said the four-year headline sentence set by the judge was within the parameters of what is available. He said that while he did not shy away from the fact that this had clearly been a very serious offence and one in which the sentencing judge could have started with a headline sentence of five years, this was not a magical number. He said there was case law to show the court did not have to start at five years and said there had been no error. Mr Clarke said this was not an off the cuff sentence, but rather was one in which the sentencing judge took time to consider the matter. He said the judge had taken into account all the relevant factors in the case, including the mitigating and aggravating factors, before coming to her conclusion. In delivering the courts ruling on the matter, Mr Justice Birmingham said that by the time of conviction, Maguire had some 45 convictions recorded, including those for robbery, possession of knives, criminal damage and one offence involving a threat to kill. He noted that in seeking to review the sentence, the director said the sentencing judge would not only have been justified in setting a headline of five years but that the failure to set it at five years was in fact an error. He said it was the courts view that this offending was extremely serious and fell on the border or very close to the border of what would be dealt with by way of section 4, the offence of causing serious harm. He said, in the courts view, this was a case where the headline should have been set at five years and should not have been set at a lower figure. The view we have formed makes it inevitable that we must intervene, he said before proceeding to quash the original sentence. In resentencing Maguire, the judge set a headline sentence of five years before reducing this by 25% after taking mitigating factors, most notably the respondents plea of guilty, into account giving an adjusted sentence of three years and nine months. He said the court would suspend the final six months of this and would backdate it to July 24th, 2023, when the plea of guilty was entered. A Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentencing hearing was told gardai were called to find the victim lying unconscious and covered in blood shortly after 12.30pm. An updated medical report presented to the court said the man had a significant bleed to the brain and required a piece of his skull to be removed. Prosecuting counsel said the attack has had a long-term impact on the man, who has difficulties with his memory and feels very depressed and alone. His employment has been affected, and he can no longer mind his grandchildren, to whom he is very close, the court heard. Maguire was living on the street and had been drinking and taking drugs for 48 hours prior to the offence, the court heard. High Court reporters The family of a profoundly autistic young child have been unable to find a suitable primary school placement for her, the High Court has heard. As a result, the girl's family have launched High Court judicial review proceedings against the Minister for Education and Skills, the National Council for Special Education, Ireland and the Attorney General aimed at securing her a suitable primary school placement. Brendan Hennessy Bl, for the family, said the child is in a pre-school setting, with which her family is very happy. However, the family are looking for a primary school setting and contacted approximately 20 different schools seeking a place for the girl. None of the applications have been successful, counsel said. The court heard the girl's autism is "very profound" and her educational and health needs are very complex. While she made great progress at her pre-school, counsel said her family are fearful that all could be lost and she could regress if they cannot secure a placement for the school year commencing next September. The child is non-verbal, is prone to self-harm, and is already far behind her peers in terms of educational attainment. Any further delay in securing a school placement, counsel said, will "likely have significant and severe consequences for the child", who may find herself even further behind. Counsel said the Minister and the other State respondents have been made aware of the situation and her family have not been able to secure a school place for her. No substantial response has been received, but the family are hopeful that she will be allocated a place, it is claimed. In the proceedings, which have been taken on the girl's behalf as a last resort, the child seeks an order compelling the Minister to provide her with an adequate and appropriate school education, in the form of a full-time school placement. The applicants also seek declarations from the courts including that the respondents have failed in their duties to provide the child with an adequate and appropriate primary education in accordance with her constitutional right to an education, and her rights under the Educational Acts. The matter came before Ms Justice Niamh Hyland on Monday, who granted the applicant permission on an ex-parte basis to bring the challenge. The judge, noting that several similar cases have come before the courts as the legal year comes to an end and the new school year approaches, accepted the case is urgent. The case will come back before court next week. Cillian Sherlock, PA People in Joe Bidens ancestral homeland in Co Louth are sad to see him go as US president, according to a local. Mr Biden, who has frequently expressed pride in his Irish ancestry, has made repeated trips to Ireland in recent years. Rebecca Birch, restaurant manager of Fitzpatricks Bar in Jenkinstown, Co Louth, said locals are hoping they can welcome the 81-year-old back after he announced he would not be seeking re-election as president. Mr Biden stopped at the bar in 2016 while on a trip with his family to explore their ancestry in the Cooley Peninsula. Ms Birch, who is local to the area, said she was 16 when the then-US vice president visited the bar. She said there was a great atmosphere ahead of his arrival. Ms Birch said: I was with my mam and dad. It was a lovely sunny day, people had been talking about it for weeks. There was a lot of buzz in the area at the time. Id never seen anything like it, the presidential cars coming in. It was crazy, there were so many people about. It was just a really exciting time to have him here. Fitzpatricks restaurant which Joe Biden visited during his time as vice president (Liam Mcburney/PA) Ms Birch said there were mixed reactions following his decision to pull out of the race. It is a shame because he had a great term, he did an awful lot for America. Were such a small town and to have a connection to somebody in office, the president of America, thats such a big deal. Everyone here has a story about Joe Biden being in the community and to have that connection to the White House is really special. Pictures of Joe Biden during his visit hang above the bar of Fitzpatricks in Co Louth (Liam McBurney/PA) Unfortunately, were not going to have that any more, but I wish him all the best and I hope its the right decision for him and hopefully he can relax after stepping down. Ms Birch said there were hopes that Mr Biden could visit the area more frequently, adding: He wont be in office anymore, not so busy running America, so hopefully hell visit us more because I know he does quite like it. Wed love to have him back. In 2023, the US presidents tour of Ireland saw him retrace his ancestral roots, with visits to Louth and Co Mayo. Rebecca Birch said Louth would be sad to see Joe Biden step down (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Bidens grandfather, James Finnegan, was born in Co Louth, while his great-great-great grandfather, Edward Blewitt, hailed from Ballina, Co Mayo. On Sunday, Taoiseach Simon Harris thanked the US president for his friendship to Ireland. He said Mr Biden had expressed a fierce pride in his Irish ancestry and had acted as a voice for reason, effective multi-lateralism and shared solutions. Joe Biden, in all the offices he has held, has always been an unwavering voice and passionate worker for peace on the island of Ireland and our country owes him a great debt for this, he said. On a personal level, President Biden is a proud American with an Irish soul. When he arrived into Belfast, Louth and Mayo last year, he himself said it was like coming home. The outpouring of love and support from the public, even in the pouring Irish rain, from Carlingford to Ballina was testament to how highly the president is held in his ancestral home. By Alex Daniel, PA Business Reporter Ryanair has said airfares will be materially lower over the peak summer months than last year, as it reported plummeting quarterly profits. The Irish budget carrier said on Monday that lower prices over the spring pushed profits down 46% to 360 million for the three months to June 30. The average fare fell 15% to 42 year on year, while passenger numbers rose 10% to 55.5 million. Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary said demand is strong but pricing remains softer than expected (Brian Lawless/PA) Chief executive Michael OLeary said: While (second-quarter) demand is strong, pricing remains softer than we expected, and we now expect (second-quarter) fares to be materially lower than last summer. The rise in passengers limited the hit to overall turnover, with revenues falling just 1% to 363 billion. Passenger numbers are forecast to be up 8% overall this financial year. The figures come as the latest sign that the post-pandemic boom in pricing enjoyed by carriers is coming to an end, with other airlines also having recently warned over ticket prices. Customers are typically waiting longer than usual to book summer holidays, which is thought to be partly a result of the cost-of-living crisis. Earlier in July, Jet2 said there would only be modest price increases this summer amid a wave of later bookings to its European destinations. Lufthansa has also pointed to negative market trends, while Air France-KLM warned of a financial hit after fewer people than expected booked flights to Paris for the forthcoming Olympic Games. Ryanair added that its performance for the rest of the summer is totally dependent on close-in bookings and yields in August and September. Mr OLeary also took aim at air traffic controllers across Europe after fewer flights took off over the period. He said: In the last 10 days of June we suffered a significant deterioration in European air traffic control capacity which caused multiple flight delays and cancellations, especially on first wave morning flights. (This makes it) more urgent than ever that the new European Commission and Parliament deliver long-delayed reform of Europes hopelessly inefficient air traffic control services. Singapore's first electric concrete mixer truck arrives at Pan-United ICR Newsroom By 22 July 2024 Singapore-based concrete supplier Pan-United Corp Ltd has unveiled the country's first fully-electric concrete mixer truck, highlighting its commitment to sustainability. The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) represents a milestone in the companys efforts to become a carbon-neutral ready-mix concrete company by 2050. The electric mixer truck will reduce the carbon footprint associated with the haulage of concrete by 45 per cent, compared to a vehicle using fossil-fuel. Furthermore, switching to EVs in a densely-populated environment like Singapore, can reduce the areas noise pollution significantly. CEO of Pan-United, Ken Loh, said, Pan-United is excited to welcome EVs into Singapores built environment industry. We hope to eventually operate a substantial fleet of electric concrete mixer trucks for our day-to-day operations. This step marks an exciting new venture in exploring alternative fuel technology and a deepening commitment to accomplish Pan-Uniteds aim of being a carbon-neutral ready-mix concrete company by 2050. Pan-United has actively been exploring ways to reduce our embodied and operational carbon emissions. This includes the use of alternative fuels and electric gensets in our operations to lower our carbon footprint. We will continue to actively explore new and innovative solutions and products to decarbonise and accelerate the global climate transition, he added. SANY, a Chinese multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company, delivered the vehicle. The electric mixer truck has a 350kWh battery, provides 360kW at peak power and takes just two hours to reach full charge. To compare, a Category A passenger EV with a 78kW battery capacity takes approximately 30 minutes to charge fully. Published under Perus cement market contracts 6% in June Muriel Bal By 22 July 2024 Cement dispatches in Peru declined by 5.9 per cent YoY to 0.924Mt in June 2024 from 0.928Mt in June 2023, according to ASOCEM, the Peruvian cement association. Of this total, dispatches by ASOCEM members were down 8.8 per cent to 0.842Mt in June 2024 from 0.923Mt in June 2023. Output from domestic cement plants declined 6.1 per cent YoY to 0.884Mt in June 2024 from 0.941Mt. Clinker production fell 15.5 per cent to 0.686Mt from 0.812Mt over the same period. In terms of external trade, Perus cement producers exported 9000t of cement, down 25.6 per cent YoY in June 2024 from 12,100t in the year-ago period. There were no clinker exports in June 2024 in June 2023 66,100t of clinker were exported. Cement imports surged to 29,000t in June 2024 from 3000t in June 2023. Vietnam imported 89 per cent of total imports via the port of Callao while Chile accounted for 11 per cent, imported via the Tacna land terminal. Clinker imports declined 59 per cent to 18,000t in June 2024 from 44,000t in June 2023. Vietnam accounted for all clinker imports, which arrived in Peru via the port of Callao. January-June 2024 In the first half of 2024 cement consumption in Peru edged up by 0.1 per cent YoY to 5.678Mt from 5.672Mt in the 1H23. However, domestic cement production fell by four per cent YoY to 5.251Mt from 5.472Mt in the 1H23. Clinker output dropped 10.4 per cent YoY to 4.518Mt in the 1H24 from 5.042Mt. Cement exports increased to 0.248Mt in the 1H24 from 0.079Mt in the year-ago period while clinker exports surged to 0.876Mt from 0.244Mt over the same period. The market was additionally supplied by 0.127Mt of cement in the 1H24, up from 0.114Mt in the 1H23, and 0.352Mt of clinker was imported in the 1H24, down from 0.357Mt in the year-ago period. Published under Officials were reacting to President Joe Biden's announcement that he will not seek re-election. Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus said, "In 2020, while everyone around me was choosing sides and lining up behind their preferred Democratic candidates for President, I patiently awaited the entry of Vice President Joe Biden into the race. Once Vice President Biden entered the race, I was locked in and vowed that I was Ridin with Biden come hell or high water. "Today, as President Joseph R. Biden announces his intention not to seek re-election, I am saddened but I am forever proud of having supported the man who defeated Donald Trump and restored hope in America. President Biden delivered for the American people on election night in 2020 and every day during his term in office. Our nation is better today because President Biden served. "The next Democratic President will inherit a historic record of accomplishments to build on. Our party must do everything in its power to ensure that we protect President Bidens legacy while fighting to make the lives of ordinary people better. "At this critical moment with so much on the line, we must unite as a party and deliver for the American people. The path ahead is clear. We have one objective and that is to make sure that Donald Trump does not return to the White House. Mr. President, we will carry out the mission and finish the job of building back better." Tennessee Rep. Diana Harshbarger said, "Joe Bidens decision not to seek reelection confirms what I and many of my colleagues have known for years: Joe Biden is unfit to lead. "Though Democrats and the media have ignored the Presidents rapid decline in mental and physical health for months, his decision to drop out of the race is an overt admission of his poor condition and his inability to serve out the rest of his term as President of the United States. "I could not agree more with President Trump and Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance who have repeatedly said that if Joe Biden is not fit to run for reelection, he is not fit to be commander-in-chief." Hamilton County Democrats said in a statement, "President Biden's decision to step aside and endorse VP Kamala Harris demonstrates his ongoing commitment to the country, and his belief that it's not about him, it's about us. President Biden saved democracy in 2020, he saved countless lives through his handling of Covid, he selected a Black woman for the Supreme Court, and he brought us back to a thriving economy, with record job growth and low unemployment, he expanded NATO, and stood up for democracy across the globe! For all he has given, we thank him. "But the objective remains clear. Defeating Donald Trump, and saving democracy is the singular goal. We know that Vice President Harris is the right person to lead us to victory on Nov. 5 to continue to build upon the progress of the Biden/Harris administration: to reform the Supreme Court, to support organized labor, to protect voters rights, and to make sure that women all across this county have access to the reproductive healthcare that they need and deserve." Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair Rachel Campbell said, President Biden has put his country over his ambition and we will come together to continue the work that the Biden/Harris administration began. We look forward to putting the work in to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, and electing Kamala Harris for President! Congressional Candidate Jack Allen said, President Biden has served this country well, and I am grateful for his many years of service. Today he made the selfless decision to not seek reelection. I believe this decision was made with the best interest of the American people in mind. In our most trying times as a nation it is the moments that our leaders have put country above self that have truly defined the American spirit. This will certainly be yet another one of those defining moments in our history. The Chattanooga and Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency (RPA) has been undertaking major updates to plans and codes during the past year. The staff of the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County across many departments have been involved as well as citizens during public meetings and through surveys of community stakeholders. I would like to thank Mayor Kelly and Mayor Wamp as well as the Chattanooga City Council and Hamilton County Commissioners for the time and faith they have placed in the RPA during the past year. As the Director of the RPA, it is my primary responsibility to ensure the planning process is based on facts, laws, public engagement and common-sense approaches. As a planning professional for over three decades in the southeast U.S., it has been my fortune to have worked with hundreds of elected officials and staff at many excellent local governments. Plan Chattanooga and Plan Hamilton are individual programs led by RPA and two consultant teams that will be released next month for more public review and stakeholder engagement. This is the first time in Chattanooga and Hamilton County history when our key local governments, regional agencies and state government have coordinated infrastructure and planning in a comprehensive process. We are fortunate to have many beautiful and safe communities, a proud history, good public and private schools, small businesses and large employers. While we must live and travel highway interstate corridors that run through Chattanooga and between Nashville, Knoxville and Atlanta, our local governments have the authority to manage growth and guide our communitys future. RPA takes this responsibility to our elected officials and citizens seriously and with the greatest regard to state laws and regulations. I am a graduate of UGA Terry College of Business with a BBA in Management. I have a MS in Urban Studies and Planning from Georgia State University. For over three decades in Georgia, I worked as a transportation planner with the Athens-Clarke County planning department and Savannah-Chatham County MPO, as Director of Brunswick/St. Simons/Glynn County planning agency, Director of Douglas County planning and 17 years Manager of state mandated planning at ARC for 70 plus city and county In light of the controversy over recent decisions by the United States Supreme Court in the areas of abortion and presidential immunity, one has to search the history of the nation's judiciary to subjectively select what may be the worst infringement on individual rights ever decided by the third branch of government In 1847, the complicated 11 year legal journey that approved the inhumane practice of slavery began that resulted in the March 6, 1857 Scott vs Sanford opinion by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in a 7-1 opinion that upheld slavery in US territories and denied the legality of black citizenship in America and declared the Missouri Compromise that allowed both slave and abolitionist states to become part of the union to be unconstitutional. The decision amongst other factors would lead to the bloody Civil War (1861-1865) and spark divisions in the black and white races that continue to this day. Self appointed advocates often inflame emotions that hurt America's image locally and abroad. Although denied by many authorities, Russian ruler Nikita Khrushchev in the 1960s is alleged to have stated that We can never defeat America militarily but it will destroy itself from within. The statement may be a boding prophecy, irrespective of whether Khrushchev said it or not. The Dred Scott decision would exacerbate sectional tensions between North and South. Many legal authorities contend that with its overall consequences it is the worst decision ever rendered by our nation's highest court. In 2010, the US Supreme Court decided Citizen United vs Federal Election Commission issued another landmark decision regarding campaign finance laws and the First Amendment Freedom of Speech clause that prohibits the government from restricting many independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations, nonprofit organizations, labor unions and other associations. The 5-4 decision has opened the financial coffers of the above and others under a variety of techniques has created the use of political terms such as Super PACs, 501(c)(4) incorporated public advocacy groups, dark money etc. It has substantially increased the cost of campaigns, and basically removed donation limits on millionaire/billionaire contributors. Some critics of the decision contend that its effect leads to an increase in Republican influence and representation in both state legislatures and Congress. However, it appears both political parties are equally adept/inept in panic spending that the majority of Americans believe could be spent on other needs and issues. (Whether we as a nation can survive either or both decisions is beyond the scope of this article. Curtailing the power of the nine member United States Supreme Court under the separation of powers clause and our Constitution in 2024 is not an original idea! It was probably last seriously considered under FDR with his court packing plan but other controversial decisions often resurrect the idea. The Impeach Justice Earl Warren campaign after the overturning of the Dred Scott decision also was volatile in the Brown v. Board of Education case in the 1950s.) ---- If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact him at jsummers@summersfirm.com) The Hydroformylation of olefins, also known as oxosynthesis, is one of the most important industrial processes in chemistry. Developed in 1938 by Otto Roehlen (Ruhrchemie), more than 10 million tons per year of so-called oxo products are now produced using this process. The main catalysts used are rhodium catalysts, with which olefins can be converted very efficiently into the desired products, albeit at high temperatures (150-200 C) and pressures (150 to 300 bar hydrogen/carbon monoxide). Rhodium is one of the rarest metals on earth: 1 gram costs around EUR 140. By contrast, ubiquitous iron costs just EUR 120 per tonne, making it around a million times cheaper and also far less toxic. Iron(III) chloride and light: that's all it takes for the indirect hydroformylation of electron-poor olefins with trioxanes. Grafik: Design Prof. Dr. Oliver Reiser, unterstutzt durch Microsoft Designer Researchers at the University of Regensburg have now succeeded in hydroformylating electron-poor olefins at room temperature and atmospheric pressure by combining iron catalysis and light. Inexpensive 1,3,5-trioxane, a trimer of formaldehyde, is used instead of toxic carbon monoxide. The developed process could also be extended to related hydroacylations and hydrocarboxlyations. "There is undoubtedly still a long way to go before this approach can compete with rhodium-catalyzed processes," explains Prof. Dr. Oliver Reiser, Institute of Organic Chemistry at UR, "but the replacement of valuable metals such as rhodium or iridium with readily available alternatives is essential for the development of resource-saving processes on the way to sustainable chemistry." Photocatalysis, i.e. the use of light for chemical synthesis, is one of the active areas of research in organic chemistry. In order for organic molecules to be effectively stimulated by light, mediating catalysts are used. Precious metals such as ruthenium or iridium - less common than gold - are also predominantly used for this purpose. It has long been assumed that metals such as iron or copper, which are abundant on earth, are less suitable as photocatalysts, as their excited states initiated by light are very short-lived (nanoseconds or even picoseconds) and therefore do not enable reactions with molecules. Europe is leading globally in the development of new technologies in the water sector, according to a study published by the European Patent Office (EPO). The report, which looks at international patent families (IPFs)[i], finds that companies, researchers and inventors from theEPOs 39 member states accounted for 40% of all IPFs in water-related technologies in 1992-2021. European inventors lead in all major areas of water tech, from potable water harvesting and efficient water use to wastewater treatment and flood protection. According to the United Nations, 2.2 billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water in 2022, and 3.5 billion lacked safe sanitation services. In addition, droughts and floods cause large numbers of deaths and billions in economic losses every year. Water is one of our most precious resources, said EPO President Antonio Campinos. "Given the threats posed by climate change, innovation needs to grow even faster in the coming decades in both the supply of water and protection from water-related hazards. Our new study and tools provide policymakers and the public with high-quality data and analysis of the water technology landscape, and support inventors in developing innovative solutions to meet our water challenges." Water treatment biggest focus for inventions, Europe ahead According to the study, there were over 22 000 IPFs filed worldwide between 1992 and 2021 in water-related technologies. The largest area for inventions is water treatment, making up about 60% of all IPFs. The fastest growing area in recent years is efficient water treatment, and especially automation and control of treatment operations. Europe has a strong lead in water inventions, followed by the US (with 23% of all water-related IPFs), Japan (12%), China (6%) and Republic of Korea (5%). The leading European countries are Germany (12%), France (5%), the UK (4%), the Netherlands (3%) and Italy (3%). Large companies dominate but university innovation on the rise The top patent applicants in water technologies are Veolia (France), Xylem (USA) and Kurita (Japan). But the contribution of universities and public research organisations has grown significantly, from under 5% of all water-related IPFs in the 1990s to 14% by 2017-21. The top universities/research institutes are the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing University (China) and CNRS (France). Improving access to information about water technologies Working with national patent offices across Europe, the EPO has also developed a new technology platform on water innovation. The free platform enables scientists, governments and businesses to more easily navigate its online patent database containing over 150 million documents, and thus find information about the latest advances in the water sector. In addition, the EPO has updated its free Deep Tech Finder to help investors and potential partners connect with over 100 startups with European patent applications for water-related inventions from all over Europe. Around 125 years ago, ancient tools used by Roman surgeons were found at a site along an underground river in London called Walbrook. The site is known for being a hotspot for well-preserved artifacts from the Roman era. Walbrook River used to be aboveground and played a key role in the development of the Roman settlement of Londinium. Now, over a century later, a team of researchers from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom have examined the medical instruments, of which there were six in total. They included a bronze scalpel handle, two needles, two surgical probes, and a spoon. These instruments illustrate aspects of Roman medical practicenot just ideas and theories but the kinds of interventions into bodies that occurred in the Roman world, said Rebecca Flemming, a professor of ancient Greek scientific and technological thought. The tools show that the practices were widespread across the empire because the same types of instruments have been found in places such as Italy, Britain, and Syria. The researchers analyzed the objects using a CT scanner in the University of Exeters Science, Heritage, and Archaeology Digital 3D Laboratory. The research technique allowed the team to investigate the objects further in a non-invasive way, especially since the artifacts are fragile. They were able to look below the corroded metal surface layers to the original material. The scans revealed several details about the designs and capabilities of the tools that had not been visible to them before. For instance, it was discovered that the scalpel handle was created for long-term use with great care. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Within the mountains of Poland, a crew of metal detectorists stumbled upon ancient treasure associated with a notorious con artist. The team was with the Swietokrzyska Exploration Group. They had set out to find the buried treasure of the 18th-century Polish conman Anthony Jaczewicz. Clearly, their efforts proved to be successful because they came across a collection of gold and silver coins from the 17th and early 18th centuries. According to Polish legend, in the early 1700s, Jaczewicz claimed that the Virgin Mary had granted him divine healing powers. During the Great Northern War, which occurred from 1700 to 1721, a deadly plague swept over the Republic of Poland. The villagers in the surrounding area were eager to have some protection against the illness, so they all lined up at Jaczewiczs dwelling in the Swietokrzyskie Mountains to receive a cure. In exchange, they paid him generously. It is said that Jaczewicz earned so much money from his scam that he transformed his lair into a grand fortress with armed guards. The guards stole from people living nearby and sometimes took over entire properties in the area. Sometimes, they even robbed aristocrats. In 1712, Jaczewicz was arrested for fraud and sentenced to life in prison. The buried coins that the metal detectorists unearthed may have been a last desperate attempt to hide his riches before he was finally detained. The excavation project on the mountains began in June 2022. On June 12, they unburied a variety of silver and gold coins, including sixes, orts, patagoons, kopecks, and krajcars. It was the largest and most impressive deposit; there were a lot of them. Unfortunately, we cannot talk about numbers yet because conservation works are still ongoing, and the search is still ongoing, Sebastian Grabowiec, president of the Swietokrzyska Exploration Group, said. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. After finding disturbingly high levels of fiberglass in mussels and oysters, scientists have issued a warning for those who consume seafood. It is the first time that fiberglass fragments have been discovered in the marine food chain, raising concerns over the safety of humans and the environment. Fiberglass is a material reinforced with plastic. Extremely fine fibers of glass are embedded into it. The material is durable, lightweight, and flexible, making it ideal for construction purposes. It is often used in the manufacture of boats. However, the material can break down in seawater over time and contaminate coastlines. Due to their eating style, species such as oysters and mussels are especially vulnerable to fiberglass particles. They feed by taking in water from their surroundings and filtering out food. If the water is contaminated, toxic particles can easily enter their bodies and build up in their tissues. Researchers from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom analyzed mussels and oysters collected from an active shipyard to see if any glass fibers could be found in their soft tissues. The samples were from Chichester Harbor on the coast of southern England. The researchers determined that there were as many as 11,220 fragments of glass per kilogram in the oysters and about 2,740 particles per kilogram in mussels. During the winter months, the accumulation of glass particles peaked, which could be attributed to more boat maintenance activities at that time of year. Although the study focused primarily on oysters and mussels, the researchers detected fiberglass in other organisms as well, according to Corina Ciocan, a lecturer of marine biology at the University of Brighton. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Ffion Price was in Paris, France, on Saturday, July 6th, celebrating her bachelorette party when the unthinkable happened. She was in the trendy Pachamama nightclub along with her friends, but an explosion occurred, leaving Ffion gravely injured. Two other people of the 140 clubgoers were hurt in the incident, which happened due to an electric scooter battery. While Ffion was rushed to a nearby hospital, the two additional people suffered from bruises and were treated on the scene. An employee of the nightclub owned the scooter and had it on the buildings fourth floor in an office. Somehow, the battery exploded, taking out sections of the nightclubs wall and ceiling. The Paris prosecutors office has since said the explosion triggered a fire and blasted through one of the walls, which led to debris falling on the dance floor below. In a GoFundMe page started by Ffions cousin, Monique, called Get Ffi Ffi home and well for her wedding day, it states the bride-to-be sustained serious injuries just before midnight. Ffion experienced a freak and horrific incident that turned what should have been one of the best weekends of her life upside down, Monique wrote. A ceiling in a nightclub collapsed, seriously injuring her. As a result, Ffion suffered a fractured skull, another fracture in her ear, and a bleed on the brain, which required immediate surgery and a hospital stay in intensive care; she has also required surgery to her face. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. If youre a teacher, you understand how hard people like to go for certain school spirit days and events. While not all your students will get super dressed up, its up to you as a teacher to be a good example of school spirit. Two teachers in Nevada went viral after sharing just how spirited they were for one of their schools staff development theme days. Stephanie Osmundson and Loreal Hemenway are two art teachers in Henderson, Nevada, and were recently asked by their school administrators to do something special for a staff development day at their school in January. Stephanie and Loreal posted a viral video that showed behind-the-scenes footage of their special surprise. The video starts with Stephanie and Loreal looking at an email sent to them by their school administration regarding staff development day, which read, To add some fun to our day, we have a themed spirit dress day, Back of the closet. This means wear those hidden gem outfits that you either save for special occasions or that you havent worn in years. Then, Stephanie and Loreal decided to go all out with a brilliant idea. They decided to wear their wedding dresses to school. In their viral video, Stephanie and Loreal can be seen strutting down the halls of their school in their gorgeous wedding gowns. Stephanie was in a trumpet-style gown with a jewel-covered belt, and Loreal was in a sparkly dress with a sweetheart bodice. To add some teacher-appropriate modesty to their gowns, each teacher wore a casual white shirt under their dress and swapped their veils and heels for backpacks and bright-colored sneakers. In their viral video, Stephanie and Loreal can be seen getting a lot of hype and praise for not only how great they looked in their gowns but their clever minds and bravery in wearing them to school. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. International undergraduates were part of many schools plans for sustainability. A new government rule changes that. SDI Productions / Getty It seemed like a door had opened. Providence University College and Theological Seminary in Manitoba started an associates degree program that could be marketed to international students. To president Kenton Andersons delight, the two-year degree attracted a significant number of applicants eager to study in Canada. Several hundred students enrolled. For the private evangelical school, that generated significant revenue and helped further fulfill the mission of spreading the gospel around the world. 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. Providence made plans to grow the programcould they attract 500 international students? 600? 700?and bought an apartment building in nearby Winnipeg to provide increased student housing. Then, a single government decision closed that door. Canadas federal government announced new restrictions on undergraduate international students in January 2024. When the rules take effect this fall, the total number will be reduced by about 35 percent. Providence was anticipating several hundred new international students. Now, when the semester starts the first week of September, the school will only greet about 20. Its many millions of dollars of revenue just gone, Anderson told CT. And, of course, as a private tuition-funded Christian school, its not like we have a lot of that money lying around. According to the Canadian government, there are several reasons to reduce the number of international students at Canadian colleges and universities. Officials said they were concerned that lax admissions were diminishing the quality of the countrys education. We want to ensure that international students are successful and to tackle the issues that make students vulnerable and hurt the integrity of the International Student Program, Julie Lafortune, a spokeswoman for the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, told CT in an email. The government was also concerned about the strain that the influx of internationals puts on the already stressed housing market. Many cities across Canada have seen housing costs skyrocket in recent years. Experts estimate 5.8 million new homes would have to be built by 2030 to bring prices back down to affordable levels. While international students are not responsible for the challenges that communities are facing in housing, health care, and other services, the growth in the number of international students is unsustainable and has added significant demand for services that all Canadians must be able to access, Lafortune said. The new rule sets limits on international students for each province. The provinces will then determine the allocation of that limited number of studentshow many will go to one school, how many to another. In Manitoba, the government decided to prioritize permits for international students attending public universities. Providence was allowed just a small amount. Anderson said the combined decisions of the federal and provincial governments were enough to threaten the existence of the evangelical university. But Providence isnt alone, he said. Many institutions of higher education are going to suffer. That was a very popular move politically for them to make, but it was a bit of a blunt instrument, he said. It just kind of like hit everybody. Kingswood University in New Brunswick will notice the hit. In its 80-year history, the Methodist-affiliated school has come to rely on the flow of enrollments from abroad. Sometimes as much as 40 percent of the student body has been international. The majority have come from the United States, but many have come from further away as well, reflecting Kingswoods Methodist ties and its missions-minded identity. Its impossible for us to do what we were chosen and funded to do because of this new rule, president Stephen Lennox told CT. In the rural community of Sussex, where the university is located, housing is not a major problem, according to Lennox. He understands the government concerns about education quality and housing stock, but neither issue actually applies to Kingswood. So the rule doesnt solve anything but does seriously hurt the school. Christian Higher Education Canada sent a letter to Marc Miller, minister of immigration, refugees, and citizenship, asking him to reconsider. Lennox, who is on the board, is one of the leaders at 22 Christian schools in Canada who signed the appeal. Our schools provide theological education, preparing individuals to fill positions as pastors and other religious professionals, it said. Limiting the number of international students restricts us in our mission to help alleviate the pastoral leadership deficit in churches around the world. One major issue that will impact Kingswood is the change to the process of admitting US students. Americans who want to study at evangelical schools in Canada will find its a bit more difficult than it was before. Theyve always been allowed to enter by a door thats a little easier to pass through than a typical international student. Now they all have to come through the same door, Lennox said. A student two hours away in Calais, Maine, has to go through the same process that someone coming from Swaziland has to go through. And to me, that just doesnt seem to make any sense. Some evangelical schools in Canada have seen problems with housing. The government concern about people having places to live is relevant to their context. But they were already figuring out solutions. Finding housing in Moncton can be a challenge, said Darrell Nevers, marketing and communications manager at Crandall University, a school associated with the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. However, our student network is strong; most students can find suitable housing before arrival or soon afterwards. We also work with community partners to help students find safe and affordable housing. Crandall, which is also in New Brunswick, typically recruits between 400 and 450 international students each year to the Moncton campusjust under 50 percent of overall enrollment. The largest numbers of students come from India, Nigeria, Colombia, Ghana, and Bangladesh. The majority are enrolled in graduate programs, however, which are exempt from the new restrictions for now. That reduces the impact but doesnt entirely eliminate it. Crandall is welcoming only 812 international undergraduate students this fall but 140 additional students are enrolled in graduate programs. While we are certainly concerned that these changes will impact our undergraduate student enrollment, we believe that our provincial government has been incredibly fair in how they have allocated numbers to New Brunswick schools, Nevers said. Faced with the new restrictions, some universities have chosen to pivot. We feel like the Lord has definitely closed a door for this season. We hope that it opens again, either with a change of government or just because they see there is a better way. But we also feel like, Hey, the Lord wants us to exist. What other options are out there for us? said Lennox at Kingswood. Currently, the school has plans to offer a one-year masters in leadership starting in January 2025. Those students will be exempt from the new restriction, and Kingswood hopes to recruit enough of them to offset the losses in undergraduate enrollment. Since its a one-year program instead of a four-year program, however, they will have to recruit at a faster rate. Providence has also taken steps to expand its graduate offerings. Anderson said it was incredibly difficult for faculty and staff to get a new program in place as quickly as they needed to, but it was essential to the future of the institution. It was just one of those things where you do or die, so to speak, the president said. Were doing a lot of things to strengthen our work and our sustainability as an institution and what we offer to the kingdom of God, to the church, to our communities. New graduate programs will bring about 300 international students to Providence this fall. That alleviates immediate financial concerns, but school officials have a new awareness of how easily that could change. Recruiting more international students no longer seems like a key piece of a solid plan for sustainability. The international work was good in that it was helping buy time, essentially, Anderson said. Now, were going to have to dig a little deeper. Home News 'Cultural erasure': Azerbaijan destroys Armenian churches, heritage sites after Nagorno-Karabakh war 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 the 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. 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 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. 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. This article was originally published by Christian Daily International. Home News First Baptist Dallas members hopeful after 'fires of Hell' devour sanctuary: 'Satan cannot destroy us' 'We cannot allow Satan to have the last word' DALLAS, Texas The congregation of First Baptist Dallas gathered in the convention center downtown Sunday to mourn the recent loss of their historic sanctuary, though several members expressed hope to The Christian Post that God will use the tragedy for good. A four-alarm fire engulfed the historic old sanctuary of First Baptist Dallas on Friday, destroying the structural integrity of the oldest part of the church. First Baptist Dallas was founded in 1868, and its sanctuary was constructed in 1890. It is among the largest Southern Baptist churches in the United States. 'The flames of Hell' 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 "It's like those flames represented the flames of Hell, and they were destroying the truth that I had banked my life and eternity on," Pastor Robert Jeffress told the more than 3,000 churchgoers who attended the service in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on Sunday morning. During solemn but hopeful remarks to his congregation, Jeffress compared their sorrow to the "feeling of despair and discouragement" the disciples likely felt on the night Jesus was crucified, which he noted soon turned to joy. "This last Friday night, it looked like the gates of Hell were prevailing, that Satan was going to win," he said. "That was Friday night, but ladies and gentlemen, it is Sunday morning. It is a day of resurrection." "It's not a day of death," he continued as the auditorium erupted in response and rose to their feet. "And I am pledging to you, we're going to rebuild that sanctuary. We're going to recreate it as a standing symbol of the truth, the unchangeableness, the endurance of the Word of God." THIS ENTIRE CHURCH IS BURNING DOWN OUTSIDE MY WINDOW pic.twitter.com/oUF9neaxEJ Amanda Milius (@AmandaMilius) July 20, 2024 "We cannot allow Satan to have the last word," he added. "If we allow that thing to remain in ruins, it will look to the whole world like we've been defeated by the evil one. So we're going to rebuild, we're going to recreate." Jeffress also noted the outpouring of support, which he said he believes God will use to redeem the situation. At the conclusion of the service, Jeffress encouraged everyone in the room to join hands as they sang the doxology. As the words "praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost" swelled from the congregation, most lifted their clasped hands in a show of solidarity and worship. Jeffress, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, has said that he does not believe the fire was an arson attack, but he noted during a Sunday morning interview on Fox News that some have been mocking him for the fact the historic sanctuary burned to the ground less than a week after he claimed God narrowly saved Trump from an assassination attempt. The pastor reiterated to his congregation what he told Fox News, and asserted the sovereignty of God. He also said that "God saved us" from a much more catastrophic situation because the thousands of children attending Vacation Bible School had vacated the premises hours earlier. WATCH my interview on @foxnews with @foxandfriends discussing the destruction of our Historic Sanctuary and the hope and resilience of God's people. pic.twitter.com/3yUvSHie7H Dr. Robert Jeffress (@robertjeffress) July 21, 2024 "This week, I've received several requests [from] some scoffers mocking, saying, 'Last week you were up there telling everybody in America that God thwarted an assassination attempt. Where is that God now? Is that same God responsible for allowing that fire in your church?' To which I say, 'Absolutely, it's the same God.'" "He is so powerful, so wonderful," he added. "He can cause the worst things in your life to work together for our good and His eternal purpose. That's the kind of God we serve." Dallas Fire-Rescue Captain Robert Borse told CP that the investigation remains ongoing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI joined the investigation on Saturday. 'Shock and sorrow' Jeffress expressed grief to local media in the wake of the fire, but noted that the church of God consists of souls, not a building. "It holds a lot of memories," Jeffress told FOX 4 News of the sanctuary. "We thank God nobody was hurt. I'm grateful that the church is not brick and mortar, it's people. The people of God will endure. First Baptist Dallas will endure. We thank so many of our friends around the country who are praying for us right now." First Baptist Dallas Pastor @robertjeffress after fire at historic sanctuary: "I'm grateful that the church is not bricks or mortar or wood, it's people." pic.twitter.com/KM7Pnzkzko FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) July 20, 2024 Multiple members of the church who attended the service and spoke to CP echoed their pastor. Member Phil Tankersley said his first thought on learning about the conflagration was that he "can't wait to see how God will use this event to His glory." "So much of our lives are part of a spiritual attack," he added. "Scripture tells us that Satan is roaring like a lion, looking for someone to devour. So that's why I choose to take events like what happened and view it from the perspective of what man intended for evil, God will use for good. And I can't wait to see how God will use this for good." Member Bill Paschall said he was overcome with "shock and sorrow" when he learned the church had gone up in flames Friday evening. "I've been here for many years, and I was married in this church," Paschall said. "I met my wife here, so it means so much. I think that we will see that we'll be a stronger body of believers when this is over." 'Satan cannot destroy us' Following the service at the convention center, several somber-faced church members gathered outside in the drizzling rain a mile away to view the sanctuary's charred remains from behind a chain-link fence that authorities had erected around the scene. Isabelle, a bystander who told CP she has been a member at First Baptist Dallas for four years, said the incident was "just heartbreaking, because there's so much history here." "It's not just the destruction you see here, we had a lot of stuff underneath: we had a museum, printing room, the library, a lot of stuff that cannot be replaced. So losing all of that is just heartbreaking," she continued. Cecily, who has been a member for five years, serves on the church's greeting team and remembered sadly how she admired the old sanctuary with a couple who were visiting from out of state two weeks ago. "After the worship service, I saw them wandering about in another area, and they were looking for the old sanctuary," she said. "We just kind of stood there after the worship service to admire the building, and they were taking pictures. I'm just so glad that I was able to do that just two weeks ago." Neither woman was willing to say the fire was a deliberate arson attack, but both said it was "definitely" a spiritual attack from the devil. "Satan is on fire right now," Isabelle said. "Satan thought that through this, he would shut us down, but we just had a wonderful service somewhere else. We will never stop worshiping, because the church like the pastor said it's not a building. It's people. We are the church. Satan cannot destroy us." "Satan can try, he can do all he wants," she added. "He can never shut us down. Ever." Cecily told CP that she believes God will use the devastation for good. "Somehow, God's glory is going to just be huge from this huge," she said. "I don't know what He's doing, because this is just so sad, but it's got to be huge. If it's something so devastating, something so amazing is going to happen, like a phoenix rising from the ashes." Home News Polling shows Harris doing better than Biden nationally, weaker in some swing states With President Joe Biden out of the 2024 presidential race and Vice President Kamala Harris emerging as the choice of some Democrats to succeed him, polling paints a conflicting picture as to whether replacing Biden with Harris would actually help Democrats keep the White House. Biden dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday afternoon, less than a month before the Democratic National Convention is slated to kick off in Chicago, Illinois. The presidents departure comes amid low polling and approval numbers as well as concerns about his mental health and ability to do the job in light of his advanced age. The president endorsed Harris as his successor, as did many other prominent Democrats. Even before Biden pulled the plug on his reelection bid, limited polling had been conducted of possible matchups between Harris and the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, in anticipation of such a possibility. 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 RealClearPolitics average of national polls asking voters who they intend to support in the 2024 presidential race, based on surveys conducted between June 28 and July 16, showed Trump beating Biden by 3.0 percentage points, securing 47.7% of the vote to Bidens 44.7%. When given the option to choose between Trump and Biden as well as independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, Trumps lead over Biden increased to 3.7 percentage points. In a hypothetical five-way race, Trump captured 43.1% support, followed by Biden at 39.4%, Kennedy at 8.5%, Stein at 2% and West at 1%. By contrast, Trump only leads Harris by 1.7 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average of the limited polling conducted of such a hypothetical matchup between June 28 and July 18. The average shows Trump with 48% of the vote and Harris at 46.3%. In a five-way race between Trump, Harris, Kennedy, West and Stein, Trump leads Harris by a larger margin than he did Biden. Trump bests Harris by 5 percentage points, securing 43.5% of the vote to Harris 38.5%, Kennedys 10.5%, Steins 2% and Wests 1.5%. While national polling can provide an indication of the mood of the American electorate, the outcome of the 2024 presidential election will be determined by the results in individual states. In Georgia, one of several swing states that will decide the outcome of the race, Trump led Biden by 4 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average based on polls conducted between May 30 and July 16. In terms of vote share, Trump was at 46.2%, while Biden was at 42.2%. An average of two polls conducted in the past two weeks shows Trump beating Harris by 7.5 percentage points in Georgia. Trumps support was measured at 49%, with Harris at 41.5%. Georgia, narrowly won by Biden in the 2020 presidential election, has 16 electoral votes in the Electoral College. In Pennsylvania, Trump led Biden by 4.5 percentage points, with his support measured at 47.8% and Bidens pegged at 43.3%. Limited polling shows Harris performing slightly better against Trump in the state, trailing by 4 points with 43.5% to Trumps 47.5%. Pennsylvania was also won by Biden in 2020 and has 19 electoral votes in the Electoral College. While RealClearPolitics has not officially created averages for polls of a Trump-Harris contest in the remaining swing states, the website does include individual polls from each state. In Arizona, three polls listed show Harris trailing Trump by 6, 8 and 5 percentage points, with her support ranging from 40%-43%. Trumps support was measured at 48% in all three polls. Before Biden dropped out, he was trailing Trump by 5.8 percentage points with the former president leading his successor 47.4% to 41.6%. Arizona, narrowly won by Biden four years ago, has 11 electoral votes in the Electoral College. In Michigan, the only poll of a Trump-Harris matchup featured on the RealClearPolitics website, shows Harris beating Trump by 2 points, 48% to 46%. By contrast, Biden trailed Trump by 2.1 percentage points, with Trump leading Biden 44% to 41.9%. Michigan was carried by Biden in 2020 and has 15 electoral votes in the Electoral College. In three polls sampling public opinion of a Trump-Harris contest in Nevada, the former presidents lead ranges from 8 to 10 percentage points. Trumps share of the vote ranged from 48%-50% while Harris was as low as 39% and as high as 42%. Polls of a Trump-Biden contest showed Trump leading Biden by 5.6 percentage points, 47.2% to 41.6%. Nevada, another state Biden won in 2020, has six electoral votes in the Electoral College. In North Carolina, the only poll of a Trump-Harris matchup shows Trump at 50% with Harris at 41%, a lead of 9 percentage points. In a race between Trump and Biden, Trump had 47.2% compared to Bidens 41.5%, a lead of 5.7 percentage points. North Carolina, the only swing state won by Trump in 2020, has 16 electoral votes in the Electoral College. Two polls taken in Wisconsin show Trump at 48%, while Harris either had 47% or 46% support, indicating leads of 1 and 2 points, respectively. By contrast, Trump led Biden by an average of 3.3 percentage points, 46.6% to 43.3%. Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes in the Electoral College. In terms of favorability numbers, Harris finds herself underwater, as do Biden and Trump. Biden has an approval rating of 40.1%, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls measuring his job performance. With a disapproval rating of 57.2, Biden is 17.1 percentage points underwater. The presidents favorability numbers showed a similar result, with just 39.1% of the American public giving him a favorable rating and 56.6% viewing him unfavorably; making him 17.5 percentage points underwater. Harris is also viewed unfavorably by a majority of the American people (52.3%), while the share of the American people who view her favorably is lower than that of Biden (38.1%). However, she is only 14.2 percentage points underwater. Trump has a high unfavorable rating as well (53.7%), but his favorability (42.8%) is higher than that of both Biden and Harris, and his net unfavorability rating is lower (10.9%). While many Democrats jumped on board to support Harris after Biden bowed out, former President Barack Obama did not and signaled support for creating a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. Obamas decision not to endorse Harris suggests that concerns remain about Harris viability as a candidate. Home News RNC official blames 'hateful, antisemitic people' for response to Sikh prayer Harmeet Dillon called Sikh deity 'our one true God' in GOP convention appearance The Republican party is not a church. Attorney and conservative political activist Harmeet Dhillon isnt mincing words over criticism of her Sikh prayer at the conclusion of the first night of last weeks Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She says feedback was 100 percent positive at the convention despite backlash from public figures and others on social media. 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 Dhillons prayer, which included the statement, Dear Waheguru, our one true God, came on the heels of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. I come from a family of Sikh immigrants and I'm honored to share with you, my fellow Republicans and guests tonight, a prayer from my faith and tradition practiced by over 25 million worldwide, she told the crowd before covering her head with a traditional religious covering. Dhillon, 55, rose to national prominence after she filed a series of lawsuits against California's stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus emergency, and later ran unsuccessfully for chairperson of the Republican National Committee. She now serves as RNC National Committeewoman for California and Western Region Vice Chairwoman of the RNC. When asked about her Sikh prayer, Dhillon told CP she has sat through thousands of prayers of other denominations over the years and believes her prayer was part of a key effort to get as many votes as possible from Jews, from Sikhs, from different kinds of Christians, Hindus, Muslims ahead of the November election. I think it is important that I communicate to my community that we are welcome in this party and our votes are welcome and our support is welcome. Our candidacies are welcome and we are welcome, she said Thursday via Zoom. And how do you make that clear? And I think one of these ways to do that is to show that there are people of our faith on the stage and that we are welcome. As a delegate for Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican National Convention, Dhillon, who was raised in a devout Sikh family, offered a similar prayer which was received with far less controversy. She says the RNC asked her not to deliver the prayer during the 2020 convention, which was held online. Dhillon says while shes not sure why this particular prayer was criticized, she rejects the suggestion that it was part of a GOP diversity effort. The RNC was fully supportive of [her praying] in 2016 and 2024. I was not asked to do it in our truncated convention in 2020, she said. I am a member of the RNC. And so the one thing that offends me is people suggesting this is some kind of a diversity issue. And it's mainly been some, frankly, hateful antisemitic people who are using the opportunity to attack me. They would have the same reaction to a rabbi doing a prayer, I believe. While raising some eyebrows among the GOP faithful, Dhillons Sikh prayer at a Republican convention was not unprecedented: in 2012, Florida businessman Ishwar Singh became the first Sikh American in U.S. history to deliver the invocation at a national convention. Singh, who is the president of the Sikh Society of Central Florida, delivered the invocation just weeks after a shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, left six dead and three others wounded. Dr. Richard Land, executive editor of The Christian Post and former head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said in his Friday column that "Ms. Dhillons prayer should serve as a classic example of the 'pluralism' that we say we believe in in America." Land explained that pluralism "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." Progressives, he added, "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 reaction from Republicans and other Trump supporters to Dhillons prayer ranged from calling her speech inappropriate to satanic, while others suggested the event itself promoted questionable theological statements. Calvin Robinson, a former Anglican priest, current Catholic cleric and co-host of the "Fox & Father" podcast with Laurence Fox, praised Dhillon's track record of working toward conservative causes even as he criticized her "one true God" statement. Harmeet Dhillon has done great work. She should be invited on stage to speak about that and to support President Trump. But to invite her to pray to a pagan god, leading those prayers with Dear Waheguru, our one true God is entirely inappropriate. What is worse is all the https://t.co/C9WvsCWLbS Fr Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) July 16, 2024 Conservative commentator Stew Peters accused the RNC of promoting "satanic chants and multiple prayers to FALSE GODS" with Dhillon's prayer. Day 1 of the RNC was complete with satanic chants and multiple prayers to FALSE GODS. pic.twitter.com/Bb6vbeOIbk Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) July 16, 2024 Thomas S. Kidd, research professor of Church History at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, contended that allowing such prayers could suggest "all religions are equally valid." If (say) a political convention is not an appropriate venue to affirm one religion as uniquely true, it is also improper to offer *acts of worship* by people of multiple faiths. Doing so suggests all religions are equally valid, especially in our diversity-obsessed culture. Thomas S. Kidd (@ThomasSKidd) July 16, 2024 Others, such as Pritpal Singh, American Sikh Caucus Committee member, hailed Dhillon's prayer as a "remarkable achievement" for Sikh Americans. Truly inspiring to see a Sikh American leading the opening of the Republican convention with an Ardaas. This powerful testament to our faith and values fills us with immense pride. Thank you, Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, for this remarkable achievement! @pnjabanpic.twitter.com/dqvEW2VJC0 Pritpal Singh (@PritpalASCC) July 16, 2024 Later that evening, Dhillon stated that Waheguru, the deity which she invoked onstage at the RNC and what Sikhs believe to be the "the distinctive name of the Supreme Being in the Sikh dispensation, like Yahweh in Judaism and Allah in Islam," is the same God as that of Christianity and other faiths. There is one God. We all believe in the same God. Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) July 16, 2024 Despite the social media backlash, said Dillon, convention members showed overwhelming warmth and support" after her prayer. "People on the RNC who didn't vote for me, members of the Trump family, members of our legislatures, Congress, senators, governors, I have just received overwhelming warmth and support, she said. People who are elected, they get it. They get that. We need to welcome everyone into our party if you want to win elections. Although the U.S. Census does not ask respondents to identify their religion, nearly 70,700 Americans representing roughly 0.02% of the U.S. population identified Sikh as their ethnicity in the 2020 census. While a number of different religions and faith traditions were represented at the 2024 RNC, including Catholicism, Judaism and Islam, Dhillons prayer stood in stark contrast to a prayer from Evangelical preacher Franklin Graham, who delivered his trademark Gospel message from the RNC stage. One thing I do know is that God loves us and he wants us to be with him in heaven one day. And thats through faith in his son, Jesus Christ, Graham told the audience. Sadly, as a nation, we have forgotten who is responsible for all the freedoms, the liberties and the bounty we enjoy. After praising Trumps record of appointing conservative, pro-life judges, Graham closed his prayer by invoking the name of Jesus. We ask that youll unite our hearts, bring us together, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, he said in his prayer. And we pray this in the mighty name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the king of kings and the lord of lords. Amen. Home News Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee dies weeks after announcing cancer diagnosis Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, a vocal advocate for black Americans, has died at the age of 74. Her family announced her death in a statement, expressing their sorrow and appreciation for her impactful life. [W]ith incredible grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas, reads the statement by her family, in part. Last month, Jackson Lee revealed she was battling pancreatic cancer, a disease with a notably poor prognosis. She expressed determination despite the diagnosis, trusting in her faith to strengthen her through the challenging treatment ahead. The road ahead will not be easy, she acknowledged at the time, but I have faith that God will strengthen me. 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 Throughout her career, Jackson Lee was known as an advocate for justice and equality, particularly focusing on issues affecting the African American community. Her legislative efforts included sponsoring bills to make Juneteenth a national holiday and pushing for policies to address police brutality and misconduct. She continued to raise these issues despite her personal health challenges. Starting her public service as a municipal judge and city councilwoman in Houston, Jackson Lee made her way to Congress in 1994 by defeating an incumbent in the Democratic primary. She served on the House Judiciary Committee. Her work wasnt without controversy. Her connections to Enron were scrutinized after its collapse, although she denied any wrongdoing. In 2019, she faced allegations of mishandling a sexual assault claim within the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which she chaired. She stepped down from her leadership positions in the caucus and the Judiciary Committee as the lawsuit, which was later dismissed, unfolded. In 2023, during her election bid to become the mayor of Houston, her campaign had to return $63,800 in contributions that exceeded legal limits in donations, including one $1,000 donation from a deceased woman, the Houston Landing reported at the time. An embarrassing recording of Jackson Lee cursing at staff was also released publicly during her mayoral race. The recording, believed to have been around five years old, was released to ABCs Houston affiliate KTRK. Her attempt to become Houstons mayor saw endorsements from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and former President Bill Clinton, although she was ultimately unsuccessful. She continued to serve in Congress, focused on her role as a deputy whip for the House Democrats. Jackson Lees death has elicited an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and political leaders. President Joe Biden remembered her as a great American who helped deliver the promise of America to all its citizens. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., both expressed their deep respect and admiration for her. Mentioning her legislative victories that impacted millions, her family said, However, she impacted us most as our beloved wife, sister, mother and Bebe (grandmother). She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire all who believe in freedom, justice and democracy. The family has yet to announce her funeral arrangements. Home Opinion America needs a prayer meeting The assassination attempt of former President Trump put the growing political division in the United States into even sharper contrast. It was also yet another reminder of how susceptible we are to violence. People are getting desperate for a solution. How can we tell? Theyre praying. And were not just talking about pastors, priests, and rabbis. 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 People from diverse backgrounds and across the political spectrum have made it clear they were praying. Many have also cried out for unity since that tragic Saturday evening. But honestly, were not sure the events of July 13th caused more division. Were afraid they exposed the division that is already there. And yet, there remain cries for unity for less political animosity. The real question is, how do we get it? Some say we need to restrict misinformation on social media. Others advocate for economic development to give more people steady jobs and incomes. Still others say well find healing when we rid our country of racism. These are essential steps, no doubt. But the truth remains that political violence has been a consistent issue with extremists on both sides of the spectrum. All you had to do is look at social media right after the assassination attempt on former President Trumps life to see that sadly remains true. In this context, its easy to wonder if healing our nation is even possible. Sometimes it seems too big a task, like were too far gone. Thankfully, were one nation under a God who doesnt believe in too far gone. So, after one of the most horrific political events in history, we turned to him for guidance. Heres what we believe can help bridge the partisan divide and bring lasting healing to our nation. Its prayer. Think back to how political officials, talk-show hosts, and overseas leaders responded to the attempt on former President Trumps life. Do you remember? It was prayer. From every corner of the globe. President Joe Biden stated, Im praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally. Joe Scarborough, an outspoken critic of Trump and Morning Joe host, wrote, Our family is praying this morning for President Trump, those injured yesterday, and for the loved ones of the American tragically killed. May God grant mercy on them and deliver us from the violent political rhetoric that coarsens debate and endangers public servants. Trumps response was the same. He issued a sincere thank you and pointed to God: Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, Trump wrote himself in his first statement following the attack, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. Its as if the world paused to remember Romans 13:1, Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. I believe this is the solution. Its not a coincidence that people from all walks of life are drawn to their knees in prayer in the depths of lifes darkest moments. Its proof that, above all our differences, something unites us. And its prayer. Moments like these remind us that humbling ourselves before our Maker can bring us together. Some might argue that this is all well and good, but they might also wonder if those offering prayers arent sincere perhaps theyre just testing a message that they think fits the moment. That may be true at times. Yet I find it encouraging that nearly 250 years after our nation was founded, theres still no more heartfelt way to show your care than to tell someone youre praying for them. That is significant. Its worth noting that this isnt the first time America has been drawn together by prayer. In July 1755, near the beginning of the French and Indian War, the Virginia militia was ambushed. The gunfire was so fierce that 714 of the 1,500 militiamen died that day. One brave aid refused to give up and rallied the surviving soldiers for retreat. What happened next is one of the most well-documented cases of Gods provision in Americas history. That young man had his horse shot out from under him twice. Four rounds pierced his overcoat without touching him. Another slug passed through his hat, narrowly missing his skull. Of all the soldiers on horseback that day, he alone emerged unscathed. His name was George Washington. Later, in a letter home, he wrote: By the all-powerful dispensation of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation. George Washington understood what we would do well to remember: We have been spared, and our nation has been given yet another chance to heal. Lets not waste it. 2 Chronicles 7:14 promises, If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. That is the healing we so desperately need. So, let us pray. Home Opinion Debunking viral Christian meme claiming God did not save Trump A few days ago, a friend emailed me, asking how to respond to a statement that a family member shared with her. The statement said, If you believe God intervened to save former President Trump, but didnt intervene to save the kids in Uvalde or Parkland or Santa Fe or Sandy Hook, then you are worshipping partisan politics, not Jesus. It took me about two seconds to respond, as the meme was basically meaningless, without scriptural or even logical significance. What was the big deal? Subsequently, I learned that the statement came from a viral post on X by Pastor Zach Lambert, at present, boasting 3.7 million views and 196 thousand likes. It was also echoed in an article by Shane Claiborne, a pacifist Christian leader. 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 post that Lambert has pinned on his X account states, In the last 25 years, 40 million Americans have walked away from church. Most of these folks are not rejecting Jesus. They are rejecting the use of Jesus name for the purpose of domination and oppression. They arent even rejecting the Bible. They are rejecting hateful, harmful, exclusionary ways of reading it. Im convinced that rejection like this doesnt make them unchristian it makes them Christlike. Jesus himself famously chastised religious leaders who weaponized Scripture and elevated it above love of neighbor. He repeatedly denounced those who used the Bible to divide rather than unite, incite violence rather than make peace, and exclude rather than include. Im tired of pastors and Christian leaders wielding the Bible like a weapon. We need to do better... I certainly share Zachs passion to introduce people to the real Jesus as opposed to the Jesus of my political party or ideology or nationality or ethnicity or personal biases. And I want to use the Bible to bring Gods true message to the Church and the world, without compromise or equivocation. So be it! But could it be that Zach, along with Shane, whose article well address shortly, are guilty of reading the Bible through their particular theological and ideological lens, thereby weaponizing scripture for their own cause? Could it be that this sword cuts both ways? As a two-time Trump voter, I wrote books with titles like Donald Trump Is Not My Savior and Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? (For me, the Trump test was: 1) Can we unite around Jesus even if we dont agree politically? 2) Can we vote for Trump if he is our preferred candidate without taking on his negative characteristics? In my view, we failed on both counts quite dramatically.) I also wrote The Political Seduction of the Church: How Millions of American Christians Have Confused Politics with the Gospel, with a constant warning not to wrap the gospel in the American flag. All that to say, Im sensitive to the concerns raised by Zach and Shane. At the same time, I find this viral meme both vacuous and even potentially divisive. First, had President Biden narrowly and seemingly miraculously escaped an assassination attempt, most of us would have said that God spared Bidens life. In other words, our view that God spared Trumps life was not based on partisan politics but on a sense of divine intervention. It was theological, not political. Second, many of us hold to a view of divine sovereignty that would suggest His activity in any seemingly extraordinary, life-saving event. (Or, conversely, we would see this in any seemingly extraordinary life-taking event, such as a terrorist being struck by lightning just before he was about to detonate a bomb.) Third, we agonize over the fact that God does not intervene more, recognizing that for every life that was saved, many others were not. Why was one person miraculously healed in answer to prayer while others died? Why did one family member emerge unscathed from an accident while the rest of the family died? Ultimately, we dont have answers for these questions, other than holding to Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. But we do know that, since God has given us free will, with the rarest of exceptions, He does not stop us from doing wrong things, as horrific as those consequences may be. That He intervenes at all, showing mercy or acting for His own purposes, is His prerogative alone. Why didnt He spare the life of the courageous firefighter who shielded his wife and kids, taking a bullet that was meant for Trump? Only God knows. But that doesnt mean He didnt save Trumps life, and perhaps, because of this intervention, Trump will be a changed man for the good of America, resulting in a blessing for millions of people. How can we say this will not happen? For Shane, who was on my radio show once for some friendly interaction, because God is love, we can be sure that God did not save Donald Trump but not the person killed by mistake. God did not save Trump, for that matter, but not the kids at Sandy Hook or Uvalde. God did not save some of the Israeli hostages but not the others. God does not want thousands of kids in Gaza to die. While I certainly appreciate these sentiments, they have no scriptural or even logical basis. In fact, using this same logic, you could argue that God is not love because He did not save all these others. For Shane, the big lesson is that, There is no place for political violence in America from any quarter, but especially for any of us who choose to follow Jesus. He gets my hearty amen to that statement, for sure. He adds, If our theology does not make us more loving, then we should question our theology. Once again, I absolutely concur. But that actually makes me question whether these kinds of memes and articles express Gods love for Christian conservatives or Trump voters or Republicans or whoever the people may be who believe that God spared Trumps life. Are Zach and Shane being equally divisive in the name of love? Shane also states, Any theology that puts God, rather than sinful human beings, behind a gun or a bomb is bad theology. Once again, however, he overstates his case in his understandable zeal to come against a pseudo-Christian, hyper-nationalistic, violence-exalting mentality. And he fails to realize that God is with the policeman who pulls the trigger to stop a crazed murderer from slaughtering a child in a playground. Or that God is with the sniper who takes out a radical Islamic terrorist who is about to execute peaceful Christians. As the Word says, For the one in authority is Gods servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are Gods servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4). But let me not end here. Instead, I extend a personal invitation to Shane and Zach to each join me for a full-length interview on my Line of Fire show. Lets have a civil, honoring dialogue on our perspectives and, hopefully, bring more heat than light. What do you say? Home Opinion JD Vance: Isolationist or rustbelt advocate? After former President Donald Trump announced that Ohio Senator JD Vance would be his running mate, journalists and media outlets immediately tried to brand the 39-year-old senator as an isolationist. But the charge of isolationism against Vance is a canard; it fails to capture the nuances of Vances foreign policy and the deeply rooted convictions. Far from being an isolationist, Vance is an advocate of a pragmatic prioritization of American interests, starting at home and spreading across the world, that reflect the concerns of the average American concerns he knows all too well. Vance chronicled his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, a once-thriving industrial town that has faced economic decline, in his 2016 book Hillbilly Elegy. Where Vance grew up, poverty was the family tradition and alcoholism and drug abuse were rampant, both in his family and across the broader community. Growing up in the Rustbelt, Vance came to see, firsthand, how the spread of globalization and shifting economic landscapes left many working-class communities behind. For residents of these areas, there is a strong disconnect between their daily struggles and, say, the federal governments international expenditures. Billions of dollars in foreign aid and military interventions abroad are difficult to reconcile with local job losses, decaying infrastructure and the opioid crisis. Resentment starts to build. 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 Take, for example, a recent tragedy in his own state of Ohio. Early last year, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing toxic chemicals into the community. The derailment ravaged the town, and its residents are still reeling from the noxious effects of the chemicals released by the derailment. Yet despite such a terrible, devastating disaster, President Biden did not visit the Ohio town until nearly a year after the derailment. While Americans were suffering in Ohio, the President was sending billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine in support of their war effort against Russia. Many Americans are frustrated with this disconnect; they want a government that looks inwards before it looks outwards. In JD Vance, they have found their greatest advocate. Vance might lean towards an isolationist worldview, but it is one borne directly out of his experience in middle America and his relentless fight for the common man. It is not the isolationism borne out of the forever wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where so many protested our overseas involvement in wars that came at a high price in blood. Rather, Vance advocates for a foreign policy approach that puts the national interest first. That is why, for instance, Vance rightly identifies China as Americas most pressing foreign policy challenge. In an interview with Sean Hannity shortly after he was picked as Trumps VP, Vance said that China is the biggest threat to our country and that the United States is completely distracted from it. An aggressive, expansive China, unchecked by the United States, would negatively impact the lives of the average American. By identifying China as our greatest threat, Vance signals his commitment to an America First foreign policy. Vance has also been a staunch supporter of Israel. He has said that a big part of the reason why Americans care about Israel is for its religious significance to Christians as the birthplace of Christianity. In the aftermath of the 10/7 Massacre, Vance has criticized the Biden administrations withholding and delaying of precision weapons shipments to Israel, noting that the policy was fundamentally incoherent. He has repeatedly called for Israel to be allowed to finish the job with Hamas, so that it could shift its focus to continuing the Abraham Accords and establishing a new era of peace, prosperity and alliances within the Middle East. But accomplishing these foreign policy goals requires unleashing American industry, especially its defense industry, which is heavily situated across the Rustbelt. Vance joins Trumps call for the urgent need to revive the defense industrial base, which would be welcome news to so much of middle America, the home of many weapons production facilities. Iron Dome missiles, for instance, are made for US and Israeli batteries in Arkansas. Reinvigorating the defense industrial base can breathe new life into economically distressed regions, particularly those in the Rustbelt, which have suffered from decades of deindustrialization. JD Vance has been forged in the fires of Middletowns factories, nourished by the hopes of families in East Palestine, and molded by a life spent alongside the average American. Far from being an isolationist, Vance is making the case for a strong America built on the bedrock of its resilient heartland. As we near one of the most consequential elections of modern US history, JD Vance reminds us that true greatness begins at home. Home News Pro-life OB-GYN, researcher react to claim maternal deaths higher in states restricting abortion A recent study that claims maternal deaths are higher in states where abortion is nearly banned or those that have gestational limits on terminating preborn babies is misleading, according to a pro-life medical professional and researcher. The report, released Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund, a private health research foundation, evaluated states based on 32 measures, including health outcomes and access to abortion. Researchers focused primarily on data from 2021 and 2022, and the study authors obtained their information through government-sponsored surveys and from the Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) Abortion Facility Database. The study assessed women of reproductive age, ages 15 to 44, who died from causes related to pregnancy, substance abuse, COVID-19 or other chronic conditions. 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 According to the researchers, the highest rates of maternal deaths were in the Mississippi Delta, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. The study reported that Vermont, California and Connecticut had the lowest rates of maternal deaths. The researchers emphasized that states with the highest rates had abortion restrictions prior to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case in which the high court ruled that the Constitution does not contain a right to abortion. Some states have since placed further limits on abortion. Michael New, an associate scholar at the pro-life research group Charlotte Lozier Institute, told The Christian Post that the study has a number of methodological weaknesses, such as the timeframe researchers analyzed in their study. First, the maternal mortality data that was analyzed comes from 2022. Dobbs was decided in June 2022, and many states did not start enforcing protections of preborn children until later that year, New said. It is pretty ridiculous to blame high maternal mortality rates on pro-life policies that were in effect for at most six months. The pro-life researcher also asserted that the study's authors failed to provide evidence that pro-life laws increased maternal mortality rates, saying that the researchers neglected to compare pre-Dobbs maternal mortality data with post-Dobbs maternal mortality data. All the study showed, according to New, is that some states with pro-life policies had high maternal mortality rates. The problem is that those states that enacted strong pro-life laws after Dobbs tended to be states with above-average poverty rates, the pro-life researcher added. States with high poverty rates tend to fare poorly on a number of public health metrics, including maternal mortality rates. Poverty is the cause of high maternal mortality, not pro-life laws. Overall, a vast majority of the health data used in the study comes from 2022, he continued. Again, the analysts that wrote the study and the journalists covering the study should not be blaming poor public health outcomes on pro-life laws that were in place for about 6 months. Dr. Donna Harrison, director of research for the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a board-certified OB-GYN, also commented on the study. In a separate statement to CP, the pro-life doctor acknowledged poor maternal health as an important matter but contended that there is no proof promoting induced abortion will improve it. The medical professional cited research The Lancet published in 2010 that analyzed maternal mortality in 181 countries from 1980 to 2008. Harrison contended that other countries tend to have better abortion reporting requirements than the U.S., adding that the research indicates regulations on abortion do not, by themselves, worsen maternal mortality. She also cited a separate study published by PLOS One in 2012 that analyzed maternal mortality in Chile, noting that the study found the countrys pro-life laws did not impact the nations maternal mortality rate. In addition, Harrison pointed to European countries like Poland and Malta that are considered pro-life, highlighting research that found these places have some of the lowest maternal mortality rates. Another study from 2022 found a sharp rise in maternal deaths in Ireland, which Harrison connected to the countrys legalization of abortion a few years prior. The challenges impacting our nation's maternal health are complex, and reducing this conversation to one about induced abortion does a disservice to American mothers our patients, the pro-life doctor said. Home News Obama lauds Bidens public service, doesnt endorse Kamala Harris as replacement Former President Barack Obama stopped short of endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday as the Democratic Partys presidential nominee after President Joe Biden announced he was no longer seeking reelection. Obama hailed Biden, his running mate in the 2008 and 2012 elections, for his decades-long career in politics after he announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsement of Harris to succeed him as the partys nominee. Sixteen years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I knew about Joes remarkable career in public service. But what I came to admire even more was his character his deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts, Obama wrote in a 549-word statement on Medium on Sunday evening. 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 44th president added: We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. I believe that Joe Bidens vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond, he predicted. For now, Michelle and I just want to express our love and gratitude to Joe and Jill for leading us so ably and courageously during these perilous times and for their commitment to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on. The Democratic National Convention will be held Aug. 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois. I am honored to have the Presidents endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination, Harris wrote in a multi-post thread on X Sunday evening. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Partyand unite our nationto defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. If youre with me, add a donation right now. On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Partyand unite our nationto defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. If youre with me, add a donation right now.https://t.co/xpPDkCRhoZ Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 21, 2024 For their part, Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, have said they had nothing to do with The Heritage Foundations Project 2025. The conservative think-tanks initiative was intended to serve as a guide for a conservative administration. The Heritage Foundation does a lot of good work. It does a lot of things that I disagree with, a lot of things that I agree with, Vance recently told Meet the Press host Kristen Welker. I guarantee there are things that Trump likes and dislikes about that 900-page document. But he is the person who will determine the agenda into the next administration. Well-known Democrat leaders who quickly endorsed Harris as the partys presidential nominee include: Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton, Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Mark Warner, D-Va., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Reps. James Clyburn, D-S.C., Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., Jared Huffman, D-Calif., Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. Other Democrats who, like Obama, have yet to endorse Harris as their presidential nominee include former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Home News Pastor reveals grandson accused of killing wife, 4 kids struggled with mental illness Three days after his grandson allegedly murdered his wife and four children in their home on Thursday night, Allan Kendrick, lead pastor of Oasis of Praise Church in Bessemer, Alabama, said his family had been struggling to get help with his grandson's mental illness from government agencies, including with Medicaid, to pay for his care. "I watched him all these years try so hard, talk to every agency, talk to everybody. We tried everything, had him instituted in hospitals only to be discharged with no medication, no follow-up, no doctor, nothing," Kendrick, 71, told his congregation during his sermon Sunday. His grandson Brandon Allan Kendrick, 32, is accused of killing his wife, Kelse Kendrick, 24, his children Kaleb, 6, and Kynli, 2, along with their cousins Colton, 8, and Haley Daniels, 6, on Thursday night, The Daily Mail reported. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Brandon Kendrick allegedly gunned down his family at the garage apartment they lived in on Pastor Kendrick's property in West Blocton, about 40 miles south of Birmingham. Bibb County Sheriff Jody Wade told AL.com his office received a 911 call at 8:18 p.m. about a child who had been shot in the Greentree Drive area. Charging documents say Brandon Kendrick shot his wife in the head with a handgun and gunned down the children, too. He is currently facing five counts of capital murder. Members of his family told the Daily Mail that Brandon Kendrick struggled with schizophrenia, a condition that had worsened in the weeks before the massacre. One family member said Brandon Kendrick also had a history of not taking his medication and that "Kelse and her children have been victims of domestic violence for years." Calls to the church by The Christian Post on Monday went unanswered, but Kendrick told his congregation on Sunday that had it not been for God protecting him and his wife, Gay, they could have died in the attack on Thursday, too. "Ten minutes before I heard a gunshot, my grandson was sitting in my bedroom with me and Gay laughing, talking. [We] talked about the first time we ever took him to a restaurant for his 13th birthday. He had never been in a restaurant. We took him there for his birthday," Pastor Kendrick said. The pastor said that he and his wife had been caring for Brandon Kendrick since he was 12 after suffering years of sexual, physical and mental abuse. "All he'd ever known for 12 years was abuse: physical, sexual, mental, drugs. When I got him at 12 years old, he weighed 58 pounds," the pastor said. "[He] was on nine different psychotic medicines. At 18, the system failed him, took him off disability, took him off medication because we couldn't afford to buy. They canceled his Medicaid." Pastor Kendrick said his grandson called 911 at about 1 a.m. last Thursday asking for help but was turned down. Last Thursday night, just 10 minutes before they heard the sound of a gunshot, the family seemed to be having a good night. "In the bedroom with me and Gay, we're talking about the J. Alexander dinner we took him to, few other things with laughing and talking. His wife had gotten home. She came in, laughed with us a little while, left. He got up 10 minutes later. Pow!" Pastor Kendrick recalled. "I told Gay, I said that's a gunshot. She said, 'Yeah, it was.' She was sitting on a little sofa here," he said, describing an area in the bedroom. "She got up. I didn't have my shoes on, so I'm putting my shoes on. He [Brandon] walks in our bedroom with a gun in his hand. She was closest to him. She grabbed the gun. It went off. I don't know how it kept from hitting her," Pastor Kendrick continued before noting, "Yeah, I do," to applause from his congregation. "Because our prayer team, that night, about an hour before this incident, our prayer team stood right here and joined hands and prayed for mine and Gay's safety because I had reached out to them. I'd reached out to several of the church members. There were several assisting me and helping me trying to get some kind of help," he explained. "So they prayed for us." Pastor Kendrick said after he managed to subdue his grandson, his grandson "didn't know where he was at." "He started asking me and Gay. He said, 'Nana, where am I at? Where's Kelse? Poppy, why are you, why are you angry? What I do wrong?' Ten minutes before that, he's laughing, talking and having a pretty good time." Kendrick appeared to blame the massacre on the devil as he warned churchgoers to get right with God. "Don't you think that if you don't have Jesus, that you going to walk out of here and everything's going to be cool because you ain't no match for the devil," he said. "'Well, I'm not mentally ill.' Maybe not, but do you think you're strong enough to resist the devil if he were to possess you?" he asked. "Better get your heart right with God because you may be the next one on national news." Home News The Inside Story: What happens next amid political chaos? After a historic week in U.S. politics, a plethora of questions surrounding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the selection of Sen. J.D. Vance as Trumps running mate and the uncertainties surrounding the Democratic ticket dominated headlines. What does it all mean and what happens next? Christian Post reporter Jon Brown joined Billy Hallowell on "The Inside Story" podcast last Friday to discuss it all. 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 I think its going to go down as a major turning point in American history, Brown said of Trumps assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. We just wonder how far this thing goes. We know there are forces that are trying to get rid of Trump within our own government, and he was supposed to be jailed before the [Republican National Convention]. But that fell apart, too. And Secret Services explanation about sloped roofs just doesnt make any sense. Additionally, the close call of the bullet piercing Trumps ear instead of killing him has prompted many to point out the supernatural nature of the event, with some calling Trumps survival a miracle. [If Trump] turned his head a little bit more or not turned his head a little bit more, he would not be here right now, Hallowell said. In fact, he said during his RNC speech [Thursday night], I shouldnt be here tonight.' Because of that, we have seen a lot of people say it was divine intervention. "The Inside Story" takes you behind the headlines of the biggest faith, culture and political headlines of the week. In 15 minutes or less, Christian Post staff writers and editors will help you navigate and understand what's driving each story, the issues at play and why it all matters. Listen to more Christian podcasts today on the Edifi app and be sure to subscribe to The Inside Story on your favorite platforms: Edifi Anchor Breaker Google Podcasts Apple Podcasts Pocket Casts RadioPublic Spotify Ancient Christian building discovered in Bahrain A newly discovered ancient structure sheds light on the historic roots of Christian communities in the Gulf region. In a groundbreaking find, archaeologists in Bahrain have uncovered one of the oldest Christian buildings in the Gulf, dating back to the fourth century. This significant discovery provides the first physical evidence of an ancient Christian community in the island nation. The Church of the East, also referred to as the Nestorian Church, thrived in the region for several centuries until the seventh century, when the spread of Islam began. Teams from Bahrain and the United Kingdom unearthed an eight-room building believed to have served as the residence of the bishop of the diocese in Samaheej, a village on Muharraq Island's northern coast. This joint project, initiated by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities under Dr Salman Al Mahari and led by Professor Timothy Insoll from the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at Exeter University, started in 2019 and led to careful excavations continuously through 2023. Their work reveals the early Christian settlements in Bahrain, dating back many centuries before the spread of Islam. Radiocarbon dating confirms that the Samahij site was occupied from the mid-fourth to mid-eighth centuries CE, likely abandoned as Islam spread further among the local population. The excavation began at a mound within the Samahij cemetery, where archaeologists found remnants of a 300-year-old mosque hidden beneath the ground. Digging deeper still, they uncovered a large building with eight rooms, including a kitchen, dining room, workshop, and three living quarters. A statement from a Bahraini government media team explained, "The findings suggest the building may have been the residence of the bishop of the diocese, which included Samahij." The statement added, "Records also indicate a connection between the region and central church authorities, with one bishop dismissed in 410 CE and another condemned for challenging church unity in the mid-seventh century." This discovery is unique due to its location in a modern, densely populated town, unlike previous Christian structures found in remote areas along the Gulf coast. Important finds during the excavation included three plaster crosses, two on the building's exterior and one possibly kept as a personal memento, along with wall carvings featuring a fish symbol and part of the 'Chi Rho' etching, representing the word of Christ. Dr Al Mahari mentioned that the excavation is nearing completion and emphasised the site's importance for Bahraini history, offering valuable insights into the Christian presence in the region. Details about the building and its inhabitants' lives were also uncovered. Built with stone walls coated in plaster and plaster floors, the structure had sockets and holes indicating door and seat placements. The kitchen had built-in ovens with bases and storage areas. Artifacts suggest the residents enjoyed a good standard of living, consuming meat, fish, shellfish, and various crops. The discovery of semi-precious agate beads and broken Indian pottery indicates trade, particularly with India. Small drinking glasses and twelve copper coins suggest the use of Sassanian Empire currency. Additionally, spindle whorls and copper needles hint at possible cloth production for religious purposes. "We stress the importance of this site and the need to preserve it, highlighting its historical and archaeological value," said Professor Insoll. "We were amused to find someone had drawn part of a face on a pearl shell using bitumen, possibly for a child who lived in the building," enthused the professor. "This is the first physical evidence of the Nestorian Church in Bahrain, providing a fascinating insight into how people lived, worked, and worshipped." This find not only enriches our understanding of the region's diverse religious history but also highlights the rich culture that existed in Bahrain long before the advent of Islam. Fire ravages Pastor Robert Jeffress' church (CP) Pastor Robert Jeffress said former President Donald Trump sent him a note after he was informed that the historic sanctuary of First Baptist Dallas was engulfed in flames. "This historic sanctuary that burned to the ground was the site that presidents visited when they came to Dallas. Woodrow Wilson, Gerald Ford, President George H. W. Bush were all worshipers in that sanctuary," Jeffress told CBS affiliate KTVT about the 134-year-old church building in downtown Dallas that was reported on fire just after 6 p.m. Central time Friday evening. Trump, who previously spoke at the church on Dec. 19, 2021, sent Jeffress a note and "offered his help to do anything he could," Jeffress added. When asked if he thought the church was attacked because someone was angered by his vocal support for the former president, Jeffress responded that he did not believe there was any connection. "I don't believe my support for President Trump has anything to do with this fire," he maintained. On Saturday, fire investigators were joined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI to investigate the cause of the fire. When asked if arson was suspected as a cause of the fire, Dallas Fire-Rescue Interim Chief Justin Ball said Friday evening that investigators would have to determine that as the cause was yet unknown. Ball said it appeared the fire "may have started in the basement and moved up to the second floor" where firefighters first battled the blaze. As many as 100 firefighters responded to the four-alarm fire. "Thank God [there were] no casualties," Ball added. The basement housed the church's library where the church's historic records were stored. "We're not going to let those flames have the final say," Jeffress told KTVT. "The truth is, the church is not made up of wood and brick and mortars; it is made up of the people who are in that worship center." First Baptist Dallas had just wrapped up its Vacation Bible School, which was attended by 2,000 children, and used a portion of the historic sanctuary for some of its events. The fact that the fire started after VBS ended and no one was injured was "miraculous protection by God," Jeffress said. The church announced Saturday morning that because smoke affected newer areas of the church built in 2013, Sunday worship would be held as one service at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center at 11 a.m. local time. On Saturday, the Dallas Fire Department told church staff that what remains of the historic part of the church built in 1890 will have to be torn down because it has no "structural integrity" and will have to be demolished soon so that the street can be reopened to traffic. The red brick building, known as the church's old sanctuary, was built in 1890. It was the church's home before the new $130 million worship center was built in 2013. "We have experienced a fire in the Historic Sanctuary. To our knowledge, no one is hurt or injured, and we thank God for His protection. He is sovereign even in the most difficult times," Jeffress wrote on X Friday night. "'And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.' Romans 8:28." In an interview with Fox 4, Jeffress said that the sanctuary was the site of many personal events, including his baptism when he was 6, and ordination for the ministry at 21. "It holds a lot of memories," Jeffress said. "We thank God nobody was hurt. ... I'm grateful that the church is not brick and mortar, its people. The people of God will endure. First Baptist Dallas will endure. We thank so many of our friends around the country who are praying for us right now." U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who noted that world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham was once a member of the church, extended his prayers to its pastors and members in a post on X, adding, "I am confident God's Light will shine down on First Baptist." While the late Graham didn't reside in Dallas, he was a member of the church from 1953 until 2008, when he moved his membership closer to his home in North Carolina, The Dallas Morning News previously reported. Denny Burk, the director of the Center for Gospel and Culture at Boyce College of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky, wrote on X that he and his wife were members of the church before moving to Louisville. He called the fire a "grievous loss." "The church had back-to-back historic pastorates in the twentieth century. Two pastors who each ministered for 50 years. Two pastors in a hundred years! George W. Truett followed by W.A. Criswell. Both of them preached in that building. Both of them towering figures in the SBC." The Christian Post What is the Great Commission and why is it important? Many Christians refer to the Great Commission, but what does it mean? This is the story... Definition The term 'the Great Commission' is used as a clarion call for Christians to take the Christian message and expand the Church. Various verses and passages in the New Testament are used to create a theology for the 'Great Commission'. It is not clear when the term the 'Great Commission' was first coined. The term is not used in the biblical text as such, although some modern Bibles may use it as a helpful sub-heading to Matthew 28:16-20. The first book in English with the title was 'The Great Commission' by Rev John Harris published in 1842. The term seems to have been popularised in the Victorian era by James Hudson Taylor (1832-1905). He is often quoted as having said, 'The Great Commission is not an option to be considered, but it is a command to be obeyed.' The phrase then comes into more regular usage in Victorian Christian writing from the 1870s. The key biblical passage traditionally known as the 'Great Commission' is found in different forms in all the synoptic Gospel accounts. The Great Commission according to Matthew When the Great Commission is quoted it is usually with the words of Jesus which close Matthew: 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age' (Matthew 28:18-20). The Great Commission according to Mark The parallel passage at the end of Mark has 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned' (Mark 16:15-16). That this is what happened is then elaborated, when the Gospel then closes with the verse, 'Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it' (Mark 16:18). The Great Commission according to Luke Luke wrote 'repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem' (Luke 24:47). Luke continues the story in the Acts of the Apostles when he reports Jesus saying: '...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth' (Acts 1:8). Making disciples was the primary goal, and baptising and teaching are part of that process. Eschatology of Mission Some people have an eschatological drive to their mission. They want to see the whole world evangelised. Jesus says in Matthew 24:14, 'And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come' (Matthew 24:14 NKJV). Then John wrote: 'After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb' (Revelation 7:9). Evangelisation Some Christians talk optimistically about 'finishing the task', whether that is world evangelism, Bible translation, or the Great Commission itself. In reality it is an ongoing task, with the task continuing with each new generation, and Bible translation never finishes because Bibles need to be revised over time. Evangelisation is the term used to mean taking the Christian message to people who do not have it. This is not a one-off process, and sometimes people talk about re-evangelisation for its ongoing work. Mission has often been kick-started by outpourings of the Holy Spirit such as among the Moravians in 1727, the Methodist Evangelical Revival of the mid 1700s, and during the Welsh Revival of 1904. The American missionary Vincent Donovan, reflecting on his time with the Masai in East Africa in his book 'Christianity Rediscovered', wrote, 'Evangelisation is a process bringing the gospel to people where they are, not where you would like them to be.' Understanding the scope Some Christian agencies take the phrase 'every nation, tribe, people and language' in Revelation 5:9 and echoed in Revelation 13:7, as something which will be literally true, and strive to ensure that it will be. They aim to reach tribes, nations, people groups and languages with no or few Christian believers. Sending Jesus said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field' (Matthew 9:37-38). Jesus also said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you' (John 20:21). The earliest missionary was Paul. He went on three missionary journeys and took the Christian message beyond the Jewish world to the Gentiles. He explained his rationale in Romans 10:14-15: 'How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?' These passages led to the idea that people are 'sent' and the idea of 'sending agencies' which are mission agencies or missionary organisations, which facilitate and support the sending of individuals or teams to engage in Christian mission work. It's coming home The traditional idea of the Great Commission being 'Go!' to mean go overseas is changing. Parts of the world are now sending missionaries to the West, and it is becoming more common to find missionaries from places like Brazil, Nigeria and Korea in Europe. Movements of people across the world are changing the nature of mission. Many unreached peoples have representatives in the great cities of the world in modern diasporas. Instead of 'from the West to the Rest' it is now 'everyone to everywhere'. Mission and Technology Reviewing the history of mission through the ages, sometimes new initiatives in mission seem to have been preceded by technological breakthroughs. Think of the printing press which spread the Reformation, the development of ocean-going ships which took missionaries to far continents, and the modern digital developments enabling mobile phone Bible apps. Conclusion The Great Commission remains a central guiding principle for Christians engaged in evangelism at home and overseas. The idea of the 'Great Commission' has driven evangelism through the centuries, but has been interpreted and applied theologically in different ways. The idea of mission everywhere is shown in some churches which have a sign by the exit, which reads, 'You are now entering the mission field.' Perhaps we should think of today's world as pre-Revival rather than post-Christian. The widespread disruption caused by the recent CrowdStrike software glitch, which led to a global outage of Windows systems, has sent shockwaves through the IT community. For CIOs, the event serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with over-reliance on a single vendor, particularly in the cloud. The incident, which saw IT systems crashing and displaying the infamous blue screen of death (BSOD), exposed the vulnerabilities of heavily cloud-dependent infrastructures. While the issue is being resolved, it has highlighted the potential for catastrophic consequences when a critical security component fails. This has forced CIOs to question the resilience of their cloud environments and explore alternative strategies. 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. By Adobe/ tashatuvango The Charity Commission has closed its case into GambleAware after being assured that the charity was taking appropriate steps to ensure its independence from the gambling industry. In March, the Commission opened a compliance case into GambleAware after a Good Law Project (GLP)-backed campaign threatened legal action if the regulator refused to investigate concerns about the charitys funding. The campaigners had questioned the charitys claim to be independent from the gambling industry, which funds it through donations. A Commission spokesperson said: In March, following an assessment of concerns raised with us, the Commission opened a regulatory compliance case into GambleAware. We have engaged with the charity's trustees about the concerns raised. We received the necessary assurance that the trustees have been handling matters as we would expect including taking appropriate steps to ensure its independence from the gambling industry. The trustees have satisfied the Commission that they have the right processes in place to ensure they are furthering their purposes. We issued the trustees with advice and have concluded our case. GambleAware welcomes case closure GambleAware is currently funded by voluntary donations from the gambling industry. This funding arrangement was set up by the UK government, and GambleAwares website states it has long called for change to this model. A consultation on a statutory levy on gambling operators closed last year, which the charity welcomed. GambleAware chief executive Zoe Osmond welcomed the Commissions decision to close its case. The Charity Commission has informed us of their decision to close its case without criticism of, or findings against, GambleAware, she said. They stated that they are assured that the trustees have taken appropriate steps to both ensure [GambleAwares] independence from the gambling industry and confirmed that it is satisfied that the charitys reliance on industry funding does not impact on decision-making about its activities. Our organisation is wholly dedicated to advancing our charitable purposes for the public benefit and we are proud of our achievements. We continue our work to prevent gambling harm and provide vital support to those affected. These include the commissioning of impactful gambling harm prevention programmes and treatment services through the National Gambling Support Network. GLP: Charity should hold industry to account GLP campaigns manager Hannah Greer said: The Charity Commissions assurance that GambleAwares industry funding does not impact on decisions about its activities is at odds with the NHS, which has refused to accept funding from GambleAware for their gambling harm treatment clinics since 2022. If GambleAware was really acting in the public interest, it would stop parroting the industry line that the way to tackle gambling harm is through self-restraint. A gambling charity committed to helping people and holding the industry to account should be shining a light on the gambling companies predatory tactics and highlighting the fact that 60% of profits come from the 5% of customers classified as problem gamblers or at risk. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, The recently appointed Treasury minister with responsibility for charity taxation has been urged to remove burdens and complexities for the sector as part of his role. Former deputy mayor of London James Murray was appointed exchequer secretary to the Treasury last week following the Labour Partys victory in the general election. He has been given responsibility for charity tax as part of his brief, which also covers business, property and personal taxation. Meanwhile, a minister for civil society has yet to be confirmed since Keir Starmer became prime minister on 5 July. Hope for greater continuity Richard Bray, chair of the Charity Tax Group, welcomed Murrays appointment and said his organisation hoped to work with him on modernising the UK tax system. We believe the Future of Gift Aid project fits this intention perfectly, he said. We hope to take forward with him initiatives to remove tax burdens and complexities for the charitable sector helping maximise the impact of the work of charities when their services are needed like never before. Bray said he hoped Murray might stay in the role longer than some of his predecessors. Over recent years the minister responsible for charity taxation has changed many times, he said. We hope a new administration will lead to greater continuity helping us to work together with government to secure a brighter future for charities. VAT relief on charitable donations Richard Sagar, head of policy at Charity Finance Group, congratulated Murray on his appointment as exchequer secretary to the Treasury. We hope that this can lead to an improved relationship between the charity sector and Treasury, and greater collaboration on issues which affect charities, he said. We look forward to working with him and Treasury colleagues on two issues of immediate interest, including a consultation on VAT relief on everyday charitable donations, and a consultation so that membership charities can continue to claim gift aid while complying with the provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. Civil society brief not assigned The civil society brief, held by Stuart Andrew before the election, has yet to be assigned to a minister under the new government. Lilian Greenwood, who was Labours shadow charities minister, will not be taking on the role as she has been appointed as a transport minister. Three ministers have been appointed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) where the brief sat before the election including secretary of state Lisa Nandy . DCMS under-secretary of state Stephanie Peacock posted on social media last Friday that working in partnership with charities will be vital in delivering the governments missions to halve knife crime in a decade. However, the department today told Civil Society that ministerial responsibilities have not been confirmed. Last week, Directory of Social Change CEO Debra Allcock Tyler posted on social media : It is hugely disappointing that after all their warm words earlier in the year about working closely with our sector we still dont have a charities minister. We clearly are already well down the priority list. Yet I would remind the government the whole shebang collapses without our support. Prior to the election, Starmer pledged to partner with civil society and reset the relationship between charities and government. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, 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 last 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. 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. CLEVELAND, Ohio This week, 11 Cleveland students will travel to the Dominican Republic to deliver 20 prosthetic hands they developed in the Great Lakes Science Center Robotics Initiative to children in need. They will also be bringing along two 3-D printers and materials to create 20 more prosthetics during their trip. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District students involved in the program will meet up with volunteers from IMAHelps, a non-profit that runs humanitarian medical missions around the world, according to a news release. We couldnt be prouder of the students who volunteer to take part in this initiative, said JonDarr Bradshaw, community engagement coordinator and robotics team leader at the Great Lakes Science Center, in the release. Whether they are going on the trip or not these kids are doing incredible things not just with being great team members during the competition season, but with their dedication to helping others by working on the prosthetics in the off-season. The students will also be volunteering at a hospital in Santo Domingo, aiding IMAHelps with translating for patients, transporting supplies and assisting the orthotics and prosthetic unit. This is the second time the robotics initiative has sent students abroad to deliver prosthetic hands. Last summer, two high school students traveled to Ecuador with Bradshaw. This story was written with the assistance of AI. Summer vacation sparks passion for ancient civilizations at museums Xinhua) 09:47, July 22, 2024 A visitor mocks the gesture of a standing bronze figure while posing for photos during an exhibition named "Unveiling Sanxingdui and Jinsha of Ancient Shu Civilization" at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing, in Beijing, capital of China, June 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao) BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) -- For Li Jin, a 9-year-old primary school student from Beijing, the allure of an exhibition, featuring millennium-old bronze statues and golden masks from the ancient Sanxingdui Ruins, far surpasses that of the Transformers at the Universal Beijing Resort. Li became fascinated by the history and culture of Sanxingdui three years ago after reading about it in a library book. Upon learning about the exhibition in Beijing, he promptly included it in his summer vacation plans. Despite the scorching summer heat and enduring lengthy queues, hundreds of thousands of people, including Li and his grandmother, have flocked to the exhibition titled "Unveiling Sanxingdui and Jinsha of Ancient Shu Civilization," held at a museum in eastern Beijing, just a 15-minute drive away from the theme park. The exhibition showcases a total of 265 pieces or sets of artifacts, including a remarkable golden mask adorned with turquoise eyes that gaze from the darkness, a bronze sculpture of a kneeling figure with intricate detailing, and several newly unearthed archaeological findings being exhibited for the first time. Li visited the museum for two consecutive days and planned to return again. "It was truly amazing and awe-inspiring. I couldn't get enough of it on my first visit," he said. Soon after its launch weeks ago, the daily visitors to this exhibition reached as high as 16,000 on weekdays, and during peak days on weekends, the number soared to an astonishing 33,000. Tang Fei, head of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, said that the cultural relics on display reflect the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancient Shu people, showcasing the magnificence of Chinese civilization spanning 5,000 years. Beijing's cultural exhibition on Sanxingdui highlights this year's museum fever in China during the summer vacation period. Driven by an enthusiasm for museums, the appreciation of history and ancient civilizations has become both a fashion trend and an influential phenomenon. An exhibition focusing on ancient Egyptian civilization, which opened to the public in Shanghai on Friday, has exceeded expectations in terms of popularity. A staggering 200,000 early-bird tickets have been completely sold out, leaving little availability for summer vacation reservations. Similarly, visitors to the Palace Museum in Beijing must secure tickets several days in advance, and the Mogao Grottoes, located in northwest China's Dunhuang, announced as early as Thursday that they were fully booked until Sunday. Cultural and historical museums, along with cities boasting a rich heritage, have become "must-visit" locations for many tourists, said Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy. As of July 3, the volume of museum reservations nationwide this summer has witnessed a remarkable year-on-year surge of over 90 percent, according to data from the online travel service provider Ctrip. The tourism website Mafengwo said that 44.3 percent of museum visitors in the recent week were families with children, followed by college students, who made up 20.6 percent. China has endeavored to explore the value of cultural relics and showcase the long-standing history of civilizations by improving its museum system. To better cater to a surging demand, an array of museums in Beijing, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Hunan have announced that they will extend their opening hours. In addition, special nighttime events have been launched in cities like Shanghai and Changzhou, providing youngsters with unique tour experiences. "Night tours in museums not only enrich nightlife but also enable children to immerse themselves in a sea of cultural relics and acquire knowledge," said Liu Guoqing, a Changzhou resident who brought his child to a nighttime event at a local museum. According to official statistics, China now boasts over 6,800 registered museums nationwide, and last year, museums in China collectively received a record high of 1.29 billion visits and hosted over 40,000 exhibitions. The enthusiasm for museums has not only become a cultural phenomenon but has also reignited young people's appreciation for ancient civilizations. In recent years, archaeology, once viewed as an unconventional choice for high-achieving students, is gaining increasing popularity among incoming college freshmen. Shen Ruiwen, head of the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University, said that the school admits approximately 40 to 50 undergraduate students each year, many of whom have achieved high scores in the college entrance examination. "Children nowadays have more opportunities to visit museums from an early age, increasing their knowledge about archaeology," Shen said, adding that economic growth has created new opportunities for families to support their children's aspirations and encourage them to pursue careers they are genuinely passionate about. "There are many theories and hypotheses about Sanxingdui. I'd like to delve deeper into this culture and perhaps I will develop my own theory in the future," said Li, the primary school student. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) In this article TSLA DAL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day: 1. Trading places The S&P 500 fell 1.97% last week, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 3.65%, marking their biggest weekly losses since April. The tech-heavy Nasdaq snapped a six-week winning streak with the losses. But it wasn't all bad news for the markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.72%, while the small cap-focused Russell 2000 climbed 1.68%, as investors rotated out of this year's megacap winners in favor of smaller names. This week, traders will be watching earnings, central bank policy and the political landscape. Jay Hatfield, CEO at Infrastructure Capital Advisors, said he expects a "muted stock market reaction" to President Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race, as it had been largely expected. Follow live market updates. 2. Biden drops out watch now 3. Tech time In this photo illustration, a Google logo seen displayed on a smartphone. Mateusz Slodkowski | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images 4. Down in the Delta Airline passengers seek instructions from Delta employees to check in for their flight after airlines grounded flights due to a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to CrowdStrike's "Falcon Sensor" software which crashed Microsoft Windows systems, at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida, U.S., July 19, 2024. Octavio Jones | Reuters Delta Air Lines battled lingering flight disruptions on Monday as the carrier struggled to recover from Friday's global IT outage. The airline canceled more than 4,600 flights from Friday through Sunday, according to aviation data firm OAG, more than any other carrier, and had already canceled another 550 flights, or 15% of its mainline operation, as of early Monday. Delta CEO Ed Bastian apologized and offered travelers frequent flyer miles. American Airlines which was also affected after cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike experienced a major disruption linked to a botched tech update said it was nearly back to normal by Saturday. Delta also offered flight attendants extra pay to motivate them to pick up extra shifts. 5. Fading power Workers install solar panels during a SunPower installation on a home in Napa, California, on July 17, 2023. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Photo Of Robot Examining Invoice With Magnifying Glass. Andreypopov | Istock | Getty Images Artificial intelligence-powered agents will be able to work together and solve tasks in a so-called multi-agent AI system by 2025, according to technology services giant Capgemini. Such a system would entail a collection of agents that work together to solve tasks in a distributed and collaborative way, according to Capgemini. Pascal Brier, the company's chief innovation officer, told CNBC in an interview that the firm is already "seeing companies that are discussing those agent technologies." He added that applications using multiple autonomous agents "is really what we should expect next year." Capgemini defines AI agents as "technology designed to function independently, plan, reflect, pursue higher-level goals, and execute complex workflows with minimal or limited direct human oversight" essentially, AI agents that work behind the scenes to complete tasks on your behalf. The U.S. is further along the path toward realizing this technology, according to Brier, while Europe lags behind. In a new research report released Monday, called "Harnessing the Value of Generative AI," Capgemini noted the vast majority of companies it surveyed (82%) plan to integrate AI agents within one to three years, while only 7% have no plans to integrate these agents. The research relied on a survey of more than 1,100 companies with revenues of $1 billion or more. Brier said the so-called AI agents fall into two types: individual agents that carry out tasks on your behalf, and multi-agent technology or, "agents talking to agents." For example, a marketing-focused AI agent that's creating an ad campaign for an organization to run in Germany, could autonomously work with another agent in that same organization's legal department to make sure that it's legally sound. Unlike conventional AI systems that merely follow instructions, these agents "can understand, interpret, adapt, and act independently and, for certain tasks, are capable of replacing human workers," Capgemini said. The first major wave of AI in 2022, which Brier calls "V1," was about "understanding what a prompt is, and understanding what an LLM [large language model] was," Brier told CNBC. Now, "AI and generative AI are getting closer together, and it's much more about building those engines of knowledge, using generative AI to interact with those engines, and using this new notion of agents as being either a substitute or co-pilot to find and do things for us," he said. According to Capgemini, 71% of organizations are anticipating AI agents will facilitate automation, while 64% of firms expect they'll relieve human workers of repetitive tasks and allow them to focus on value-added functions, like customer experience. To be sure, several businesses are still in the experimentation phase with AI. Many firms are yet to find a way of monetizing the technology. Even industry leader OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft, is burning through hundreds of millions of dollars to develop its GPT large language models and ChatGPT chatbot. There are also plenty of issues even the world's leading AI firms still need to iron out with technology. For example, a common problem with ChatGPT and generative AI tools like is the generation of so-called "hallucinations" inaccurate statements about factual events that are produced by these systems. watch now These hallucinations are not the result of an intentional error made on the behalf of AI models or their makers, but the product of the way generative such tools work: these products are merely working to guess what the next word should be in their responses to questions typed out by humans. Adoption gap in genAI Capgemini said in its report that it's seen a fourfold increase in the number of organizations now integrating generative AI into some or most of their locations or functions. In 2023, the number of firms adopting generative AI was 6%, according to Capgemini, but this year, that number has risen to 24%. However, while large companies are seeing heightened levels of adoption in their businesses, smaller firms are yet to experience the same phenomenon. According to the report, 10% of firms with an annual revenue of $1 billion to $5 billion are implementing generative AI. For companies with an annual revenue of $20 billion or more, that number swells to 49%. "The scale at which bigger companies are doing generative AI experiments is bigger, so they get more chances to measure results, and were able to get faster, and obviously they did invest more than then than the smaller ones," Brier told CNBC. Results also varies from industry to industry. In aerospace and defense, 88% of organizations have invested in generative AI, for retail, that number drops to 66%. As stocks pull back from all-time highs, a top Bank of America strategist warned investors to be cautious, citing a series of economic indicators that have historically signaled the end of a rally. Sebastian Raedler, head of European equity strategy at Bank of America, made his case for a bearish outlook, forecasting that the S & P 500 could sink a further 1.9% to 5,400 and European equities could slide by around 15%. "If you had a list of when you should be bearish, I would say it's when markets are at all-time highs, risk premiums are at an all-time low, earnings and margins are already as high as they can be, and the U.S. macro cycle recovery is in its last innings," Raedler said on CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Wednesday. The S & P 500 has hit more than 30 new all-time high records this year, closing as high as 5,667 last week before falling back. .SPX 5Y line Raedler also said the recent uptick in the unemployment rate, albeit from a very low level, was an "ominous" sign. "Historically, whenever the unemployment rate has started to rise, it has never gone down again. It was always the end of the business cycle," Raedler explained. The unemployment rate unexpectedly climbed to 4.1% in June , tied for the highest level since October 2021. The forecast had been for the jobless rate to hold steady at 4%. Since April 2023, the unemployment rate has steadily increased by 70 basis points. The strategist added that such conditions typically lead to higher risk premiums and lower asset prices, especially given the current elevated market levels. "Be cautious here," he advised. The risk premium is the return above the risk-free rate, typically the 10-year U.S. Treasury, demanded by investors to hold higher-risk assets such as equities. When risk premiums rise, share prices usually fall. Raedler also highlighted the increase in initial jobless claims, up 15% so far this year, and sliding hiring intentions among small to medium-sized companies. According to the strategist, these factors suggest that more labor market weakness is on the horizon. The joblessness rate is often inversely correlated with stock market returns over short periods. The Bank of America strategist also expressed concern about consumer confidence, which he described as "collapsing." He noted that consumer confidence is typically a leading indicator for consumption and that current levels are "consistent with negative consumption growth." The University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey released earlier this month showed a 7.7% drop in July from last year and a 3.2% drop month-on-month fall. The bullish view Hani Redha, portfolio manager at Pine Bridge Investments, held a more optimistic view. Redha cautioned against prematurely calling the end of the stock market rally, quoting legendary value investor Peter Lynch: "Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or anticipating corrections, than has been lost in the corrections themselves." You can watch the full bull vs. bear debate here: US President Joe Biden speaks during an economic summit at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 16, 2024. U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday dropped his reelection bid and and backed Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee of the Democratic Party, eliciting reactions from leaders worldwide. Biden was under pressure from his party members to exit the race against former President Donald Trump, following a poorly received debate performance. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Biden "a true friend" and a "partner to Canadians." "I've known President Biden for years. He's a great man, and everything he does is guided by his love for his country. As President, he is a partner to Canadians and a true friend. To President Biden and the First Lady: thank you," Trudeau wrote in an Instagram post. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he believed Biden made the decision based on what was best for the Americans, adding that he looked forward to working together for the remainder of his presidency. Biden's "difficult" decision was acknowledged by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala as driven by the larger interest of the U.S. "Dear President @JoeBiden. You've taken many difficult decisions thanks to which Poland, America and the world are safer, and democracy stronger. I know you were driven by the same motivations when announcing your final decision. Probably the most difficult one in your life," Tusk wrote on social media platform X. Similarly, Fiala highlighted that Biden's move was "a responsible and personally difficult step, but it is all the more valuable." Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Biden for acting in what the latter believed to be the best interests of the U.S., "as he has done his whole public life." Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant thanked Biden for his "unwavering support of Israel over the years." "Your steadfast backing, especially during the war, has been invaluable. We are grateful for your leadership and friendship," Gallant wrote on X. The Biden administration's backing of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza cost him a significant amount of political capital internationally, experts had observed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to Biden's "unwavering support." "We will always be thankful for President Biden's leadership. He supported our country during the most dramatic moment in history, assisted us in preventing Putin from occupying our country, and has continued to support us throughout this terrible war," he said. In March, Biden asserted that Kyiv could prevail against Moscow if the U.S. continued to stand with Ukraine "and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself," but stopping short of deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that there were still four months until the elections, which is "a long period during which a lot can change." Speaking to a Russian media outlet, Peskov said, "We need to be patient and carefully monitor what happens next," according to a Google translation of his statement in Russian. "Our priority is achieving the goals of the SVO [special military operation] , not the results of the elections in the U.S.," the spokesman was quoted as saying. Former President Barack Obama praised Biden's "outstanding track record," and called him a "dear friend and partner." "For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest [decisions] in his life," Obama wrote. Correction: This story was corrected to reflect that Donald Tusk is prime minister of Poland. A previous version misstated his title. In this article CRWD Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Kacper Pempel | REUTERS BEIJING While businesses in the U.S. and Europe woke up Friday to a global IT outage that disrupted airports and hotels, China went into its weekend largely unaffected. The issue traced back to a software update by Texas-based cybersecurity company CrowdStrike , which generates more than half its revenue from the United States. The company's tech is used by many of the world's largest banks, health-care and energy companies. "The impact of Friday's CrowdStrike incident on China was very small, with almost no impact on domestic public life," Gao Feng, senior research director at Gartner, said in Chinese, translated by CNBC. "Only some foreign companies in China were affected." "The main reason why is that local Chinese companies basically do not use CrowdStrike products, so they are not affected," Gao said. "CrowdStrike's customers are primarily concentrated in Europe and the United States." Anecdotally, ride-hailing, e-commerce and other internet-connected systems in China were all running smoothly on Friday. Chinese state media also said Friday evening that international flights at Beijing's two airports were running normally, and that Air China , China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines had not been affected by large-scale technical system failures. watch now One of the most notable impacts of the IT outage including in China was on Microsoft Windows devices attempting to integrate an update of CrowdStrike's Falcon product, resulting in a blue screen and a cycle of computer restarts. Microsoft products are widely used in China Windows had about 87% of personal computer shipments in the mainland last year, according to Canalys. That's higher than the 79% share for the rest of the world in the first quarter of this year, the research firm said. A hashtag "Thank you Microsoft, [I can] take off early" ranked second on Chinese social media platform Weibo when the outages began to escalate early Friday afternoon local time. Posts generally showed photos of the "blue screen of death" or discussed the global outage. But the hashtag's popularity soon gave way to others about domestic matters, including Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi's product launch in Beijing that evening. Microsoft products Office 365 and Azure cloud are operated in China by a local company called 21Vianet . It was not immediately clear whether localization contributed to the limited impact on Friday. The two companies did not immediately respond to CNBC requests for comment. Why don't Chinese companies use CrowdStrike? The U.S. and Chinese governments have in recent years pushed domestic companies to use homegrown technology and store data locally out of national security concerns. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a political event at the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Experience in Portage, Michigan, on July 17, 2024. Jeff Kowalsky | AFP | Getty Images The pressure is on Vice President Kamala Harris to turn around her political fortunes and win the Democratic Party's nomination, analysts say, after U.S. President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. With just over 100 days until the presidential election in November, Harris now has to win over not only Democratic delegates, donors and secure an official nomination by the party, but also and most crucially her detractors and undecided voters. "This is not a smooth road ahead for Democrats. Donald Trump and [running mate, Sen.] JD Vance are a very strong ticket that clearly appeal to a large segment of America, but I think Kamala Harris can give them a good run for their money," Lew Lukens, senior partner at Signum Global Advisors, told CNBC on Monday. "I'm not saying it's going to be easy for Kamala Harris ... but I do think we have to give her the opportunity to be the candidate," he noted. "The vice presidential role, by its very definition, is very much behind the scenes, playing second fiddle to the president. Now she's suddenly been thrust into the spotlight [as the person] who will most likely be the [Democratic] nominee, so it's a very new role for her and we'll have to see if she grows into that role," Lukens told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." Harris is the first woman, and the first Black and Asian American person, to serve as vice president in the U.S., with her background boosting her appeal among some sections of the electorate. Still, the similarity between Harris' and Biden's poll ratings suggests that, even if she wins the Democratic presidential nomination, she will need to convince voters she offers something different to Biden. watch now "As a woman, an African-American and Asian woman, she has attributes that will work in various kinds of constituencies, plus the fact she's much younger and they're hoping that will have an effect. But there are very, very much deeper questions which had alienated a lot of Democratic voters [and] a lot of people were not committed," Inderjeet Parmar, professor of international politics at City, University of London, told CNBC on Monday. Parmar added that, if nominated, Harris will have to convince voters that she has something "significantly different" to offer than Biden put forward in his campaign. Harris' performance as vice president is widely judged to have been underwhelming, although analysts acknowledge the 59-year-old former senator from California was given something of a poisoned chalice early in her tenure when she was handed the difficult brief of tackling illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. Her prominence in the public sphere appeared to decline early in Biden's presidency as she became a frequent target for Republicans and the right-wing media. Despite her stance on racial equality, gun crime and women's reproductive rights winning her supporters among younger voters, women and minority groups, Harris' popularity ratings have remained stubbornly low. President Joe Biden is flanked by Vice President Kamala as he speaks with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra during a meeting with immigration advisers in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 24, 2021. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters Recent voter polls, conducted before Biden announced he would not run for reelection, broadly showed Harris on par or slightly ahead of Biden, but lagging behind Republican nominee Donald Trump. The latest NBC News poll, conducted before a failed assassination attempt on Trump on July 13, showed both Biden and Harris trailing Trump by 2-point margins among registered voters, with similar results seen in other recent voter surveys. Attention in the U.S. is now concentrated on how much political and financial support Harris can muster ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August. The vice president's newly launched campaign raised $49.6 million in grassroots donations in under one day, according to comments by a campaign spokesperson for Biden carried by Reuters on Monday. Harris now has to formally secure the nomination from around 4,000 Democratic convention delegates who had previously backed Biden. Although she has been endorsed by Biden, and is the front-runner to receive the party's nomination, it is not guaranteed as challengers could emerge. Over the last 24 hours, high-profile Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have voiced their support for Harris' nomination Nonetheless, it hasn't escaped notice that former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not immediately throw their weight behind the vice president, suggesting that some high-profile Democrats might need convincing that Harris is the right candidate to beat Trump. Signum Global Advisors' Lukens said Harris' approval ratings within the Democratic Party remained high at around 85%, but her main challenge is to transmit this to a broader range of the electorate. "Democrats like Kamala Harris, the question is whether she can translate that popularity with Democrats to a broader popularity that will attract independent and swing voters across the country," he noted. No choice but to unite? Political analysts have said it would be a big risk for the Democratic Party to consider other presidential nominees at this late stage in the election process. "The Democrats would be committing virtual suicide by having a big party fight and finding someone more quote unquote more electable than Kamala Harris," Allan Lichtman, presidential historian and distinguished professor of history at the American University, told CNBC on Monday. watch now "If Democrats grow a spine, and become smart, they will unite behind Harris," said Lichtman, who is also one of the creators of the "Keys to the White House" prediction model for determining the outcome of presidential elections. "It would be [a] disaster for the Democrats to have an open party fight and party brawl. That would recreate exactly the conditions of 2016 that led to the election of Trump in the first place," he said. "If Democrats have any hope of winning at all, unite behind Harris and don't think you can find some other, more quote-on-quote electable candidate," he told CNBC's "Capital Connection." The "Biden for President" campaign committee has officially been renamed the "Harris for President" committee, affording Harris the use of Biden team's infrastructure, staff and its $98 million in cash reserves. watch now A Boeing 777X airplane takes off during its first test flight from the company's plant in Everett, Washington, January 25, 2020. FARNBOROUGH, England Boeing won orders for at least 40 wide-body jetliners from Korean Air, including the yet-to-be-certified 777X jetliner, in a vote of confidence for the struggling manufacturer. The order, announced at the Farnborough Airshow outside of London, includes 20 777X planes, the largest in Boeing's commercial jet lineup, and 20 787-10 Dreamliner planes, both long-range jets. The airline can also upsize its order for 10 more of the Dreamliners, the biggest option for that model. Korean Air CEO Walter Cho said he expected to start receiving the planes later this decade. The twin-engine 777X is years behind schedule but earlier this month began certification flight tests with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, a major milestone. Boeing customers have been grappling with delayed aircraft, in part due to post-Covid supply chain snarls that have hit the aerospace industry, but also related to a safety crisis and manufacturing flaws, particularly after a door plug blow out earlier this year on one of its smaller and bestselling 737 Max planes. "If I wasn't assured, I would not have ordered it," Cho said at a news conference of Korean Air's order. "I know Boeing will pull through whatever it is they're going through right now, and I have full confidence in Boeing." The airline, a partner of Delta Air Lines , earlier this year also ordered competing Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, the largest of that type. "Whichever comes first will become our flagship, whoever's on time," Cho said. Democrats united behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's front-runner for the presidential nomination Monday, and their excitement translated into a juggernaut day of fundraising for the party and for Harris' campaign. Late Monday night, NBC News projected that Harris had won endorsements from a majority of the Democratic party's pledged convention delegates. The threshold is 1,976 delegates, and NBC estimates that Harris has the spoken or written backing of 1,992 delegates. While not yet formally the party's presumptive nominee, Harris' position as frontrunner is rock solid, and no potential challengers have signaled they intend to vie for the nomination. In the hours since President Joe Biden announced that he would end his teetering reelection campaign, Harris and the Democratic party have pulled in roughly $250 million in online donations and major donor commitments. The Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue has processed $106 million in contributions to Democratic candidates since Biden dropped out, according to an automated tracker. It is not clear yet how much of this money was given to House and Senate campaigns and how much went to the former Biden campaign, rebranded overnight as the Harris for President campaign. Ryanair shares fell Monday after the company said its quarterly profit after tax had fallen 46% and fares will be lower than expected in the summer months. At 4:30 p.m. London time, Ryanair shares were down 17.15 %, extending losses from earlier in the day. The budget airline said that profit after tax in the three months to the end of June Ryanair's first quarter came in at 360 million euros ($392 million). That's compared with 663 million euros over the same period a year ago, the company said. Ryanair cited weaker-than-anticipated fares and the Easter season falling into the previous quarter as reasons for the drop in profit. It also comes despite a 10% increase in passenger traffic to 55.5 million during the quarter, Ryanair said Monday. The airline said that this summer it was operating its "largest ever schedule," with more than 200 new routes and five new bases. However, Ryanair Group CEO Michael O'Leary said in a statement that fares were expected to be lower than expected over the next three months. "While Q2 demand is strong, pricing remains softer than we expected, and we now expect Q2 fares to be materially lower than last summer (previously expected to be flat to modestly up)," he said. O'Leary added it was too early to make forecasts about the rest of the financial year. "As is normal at this time of year, we have almost zero Q3 and Q4 visibility, although Q4 will not benefit from last year's early Easter. It is too early to provide meaningful FY25 PAT guidance, although we hope to be able to do so at our H1 results in Nov," he said. Other European airlines followed Ryanair lower on Monday, with fellow low-cost airline EasyJet shedding over 6%, while Jet2 fell 4% and Hungarian airline Wizz Air slid over 6%. The top Democrat on a House committee joined its Republican chairman Monday in urging embattled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign after a brutal hearing on her agency's failure to prevent the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13. Cheatle earlier told the House Oversight and Accountability Committee that "we failed" to maintain the agency's "solemn mission to protect our nation's leaders" during the shooting at the Republican presidential nominee Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and ranking Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, in a joint letter to Cheatle wrote, "the United States Secret Service under your leadership failed to protect former President Donald Trump from an assassination attempt that took the life of Corey Comperatore and seriously injured at least two other people." "Today, you failed to provide answers to basic questions regarding that stunning operational failure and to reassure the American people that the Secret Service has learned its lessons and begun to correct its systemic blunders and failures," Comer and Raskin wrote. "In the middle of a presidential election, the Committee and the American people demand serious institutional accountability and transparency that you are not providing," the lawmakers wrote. "We call on you to resign as Director as a first step to allowing new leadership to swiftly address this crisis and rebuild the trust of a truly concerned Congress and the American people." Cheatle, who testified under subpoena, frustrated committee members by refusing to answer key questions about the Secret Service's security preparations for Trump's rally in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, its response to local police notifying the Secret Service of a suspicious man at that event, and how the agency handled the aftermath of the shooting by 20-year-old gunman Thomas Crooks. Crooks was able to shoot at Trump and rally members from a rooftop of a building about 150 years away from the stage where the Republican nominee was speaking. Cheatle and other Secret Service have repeatedly said the building was outside of a security perimeter that its agents were responsible for, and that local police were given the task of securing the building complex where Crooks fired from. Cheatle has also said the fact that the roof slopes down was a reason not to position a law-enforcement sniper on it for the event. "I'm not going to get into specifics of the day," Cheatle said Monday as she pointed to the ongoing investigations of the shooting. "There was a plan in place to provide overwatch, and we are still looking into responsibilities." Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, blasted Cheatle at one point, saying, "You're full of s--- today!" "We have asked you repeatedly to answer our questions," Mace said. Despite that, Cheatle told the committee, "I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time." "We must learn what happened and I will move heaven and earth to ensure an incident like July 13th does not happen again," said Cheatle. She said, "The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13th is the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades and I am keeping him and his family in my thoughts." Cheatle has refused to resign despite facing blistering criticism over the Secret Service's failure to secure a building rooftop overlooking the site of Trump's campaign rally in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, which Crooks used as a sniper position to shoot at the Republican presidential nominee and audience members. "I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief and a hero, who was killed in this senseless shooting," Cheatle said. "I would also like to acknowledge those who were injured in Butler, Pennsylvania, David Dutch and James [Copenhaver], and I wish them a speedy recovery." Tesla will report second-quarter earnings after the bell on Tuesday. The company's vehicle deliveries report on July 2 was better than analysts feared but still represented a decline from the previous year. The earnings call on Tuesday will give investors a better understanding of what CEO Elon Musk and the company are doing to return to growth after reporting the biggest revenue decline since 2012 during the first quarter. Some institutional investors will focus on the health of Tesla's automotive gross margins and the company's operating expenses after it implemented sweeping layoffs and offered price cuts and other incentives to drive electric vehicle sales. According to LSEG, as of Monday, analysts were expecting Tesla to report 62 cents per share in adjusted earnings on revenue of $24.77 billion for the period ended June 30. Retail investors who submitted questions via the Say Technologies platform ahead of time are hoping for answers about the company's delayed plan to unveil its CyberCab, a "dedicated robotaxi" and its progress on self-driving technology. They're also seeking details about Tesla's near-term priorities, the outlook for its rapidly growing battery energy storage business, the status of a new factory it has promised to build in Monterrey, Mexico, among other issues. In light of Musk's recent endorsement of former President Donald Trump, and the CEO becoming a Republican megadonor this presidential election cycle, Tesla shareholders also submitted political questions ahead of the call. One asked, "Do you believe a Trump/Vance admin will support Tesla and EVs? How confident are you based on your conversations?" And another asked, "How can Elon Musk endorse/fund a party that denies climate change, yet at the same time Tesla's mission statement is derived directly to fight climate change?" Republican presidential candidate Trump has indicated that he would do away with subsidies and other federal programs that help buyers of, and producers of, fully electric vehicles specifically but not those for traditional automakers. Reuters reported last week that Musk's political and polarizing statements have "sparked concerns about Tesla's brand, especially in liberal states such as California, which accounts for 10% of the company's global deliveries." Tesla's registrations in the state fell to 52,211 vehicles during the second quarter, according to data from the California New Car Dealers Association. Investors also submitted questions via Say Technologies about Tesla's progress developing humanoid robotics that the company aims to put to work in its factories. Musk claimed, during an annual shareholder meeting in June, that Tesla's Optimus robots will be the catalyst for lifting the company's market cap to an astronomical $25 trillion someday. Musk also called himself "pathologically optimistic" at that meeting. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, who won a crucial floor test in Parliament on Sunday with more than a two-thirds majority, vowed to begin a "new chapter" in Nepali politics, nearly a week after he was sworn in to lead a coalition government in the politically unstable Himalayan nation.Oli secured 188 votes in favour of the Vote of Confidence motion tabled by him while 74 votes were cast against him. Out of a total of 263 members of the House of Representatives who were present, one member abstained.Oli, 72, required 138 votes to pass the floor test in the lower house of Parliament."I declare that the motion of the vote of confidence tabled by Prime Minister Oli has been endorsed with a majority," announced Speaker Devraj Ghimire after the counting of votes."We have to build a modern, systematic, and democratic society. It does not mean anarchism. Democracy and anarchism are two different things. Democracy without anarchism, disciplined democracy. We need a kind of comprehensive democracy, not just in one sector. Democracy is not in word but in practice," the veteran Communist leader said."The Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist) CPN-UML are working towards this direction. I think other parties are also understanding this fact. Lets begin a new chapter in Nepali politics," Oli said.With Oli getting more than a two-thirds majority, the new coalition government is expected to amend the Constitution.According to Nepals Constitution, Oli needed to secure a vote of confidence from Parliament within 30 days of appointment. He was sworn in on Monday as Nepals Prime Minister for a fourth time.Earlier, while tabling the motion seeking a vote of confidence in his government, Oli made public the content of the seven-point agreement reached between the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML earlier this month.Oli said that the agreement between the two major parties was part of the two largest parties efforts to address the countrys pressing issues."We [the two parties] compete in our ideologies, but there are instances of collaboration between the Congress and the UML," he said."This is a continuation of that collaboration. We have agreed to work together to protect national interests, control corruption, improve governance, expedite development activities, and ensure political stability, in accordance with the peoples desire," Oli said.Oli said his government will neither tolerate corruption nor let it happen. He said the government will confidently move forward for good governance.Responding to issues raised by lawmakers, Oli said, I was not and will not get involved in corruption, neither will tolerate if anyone practices so. He said the planned amendment to the Constitution is for the interest of the country and the welfare of the people."We are amending the Constitution to make it more effective, safeguard democracy and guaranteeing good governance and to move forward the pace of development," said Oli.He also rejected the charges that he committed land embezzlement during he previous tenure.Also Read:Lawmakers belonging to the ruling alliance Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party and Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal were among those who voted in favour of Olis Vote of Confidence motion.Opposition parties CPN-Maoist Centre, CPN-Unified Socialist, Rashtriya Swotantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party, among others, voted against Oli during the floor test.Oli was sworn in on Monday as Nepals prime minister and was administered the oath of office and secrecy along with 21 other members of the Cabinet.Meanwhile, Nepals Supreme Court on Sunday forwarded a petition challenging Olis appointment as the countrys prime minister to a constitutional bench, citing the need for a serious constitutional interpretation.Within hours of his swearing-in on Monday, three advocates filed the petition at the apex court, arguing that Olis appointment was unconstitutional and seeking a mandamus order to annul it.The Chairman of the CPN-UML, Nepals largest communist party, was appointed as prime minister on Sunday by President Ram Chandra Paudel to lead the coalition government with the Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in Parliament, apart from other smaller parties.Oli succeeded Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda, who lost the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on July 12.The CPN-UML Chairman now leads the new coalition government that faces the daunting challenge of providing political stability in the Himalayan nation.Nepal has faced frequent political turmoil as the country has seen 14 governments in the past 16 years after the introduction of the Republican system.Also Read: 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. Dell had it all figured out. The venerable computer company wouldnt force people back into the office. Instead, it would just insist that all staffers show up at the office for at least three days a week. If they didnt, they wouldnt be laid off they just wouldnt be promoted. (Unspoken was that this new policy would serve as a way of thinning the herd.) Given a choice between not getting promoted or continuing to work at home, half of the employees have elected to stay home, thank you very much. The biggest rationale behind adding business internet security to your small business is one, simple, but crucial, factorsafety. Business internet security protects you against multiple levels of threats. It doesnt matter what size business youre running, what industry youre in, or what your business offers; the truth is that no small business is exempt from cyber-attacks. The repercussions of your business becoming a victim to a cyber-attack can be harmful to your business growth, daily operations, reputation, and customer base. Keep reading to learn about some of the biggest risks your small business could face should you be subject to a cyber-attack. Customer Privacy Small businesses contain a great deal of private informationinformation that would be detrimental to ones business if it leaked, was sold, or got out somehow. Think about the type of information your small business has access to such as proprietary data and customer communications. All of that informationand moreneeds to be protected from hackers and cyberattacks. The main reason for someone to try to access this information is to collect customer data that can be leveraged in fraud or identity theft. As a small business, its your obligation to ensure youre never putting your customers in a position where their data may be exploited. Implementing security measures and taking the necessary steps to ensure their data is protected will go a long way toward ensuring your customers trust you with their datain the immediate future and on a long-term basis. Identity theft Not only is identity theft an issue that affects your customers, but it can also directly affect you as the business owner. If someone gets access to your small business private data, they can use it to steal the identities of you or your employees. This information can include things like name, account details, credit card numbers, or even Social Security Numbers, depending on the type of business you operate. Hackers can then use this information to commit various nefarious, malicious cyber-crimes, such as opening fake bank or credit card accounts in the victims name. Recovering from identity theft can take months (sometimes years), loads of money, and a lot of the victims own time. It can also take a long time to rebuild your reputation and ensure clients can trust you again. By utilizing antivirus software, cloud-based technologies, and other business security products, you can prevent these damaging incidents. Damaged Reputation A business reputation is everything. As a small business, you know this to be truemost businesses rely on repeat customers and referrals. If a systems security gets comprised, it can severely tarnish your sparkling reputation, prompting customers to take their business elsewhere. People will tell others about the trouble, too, and it may create a roadblock in finding new customers. Financial Damages Beyond data breaches and privacy risks, hackers can also drain a companys bank accounts. Ransomware is a type of attack where intruders hold stolen data hostage until the business pays up, with the ransom fees usually being exorbitant. Fixing the technical issues that led to the attack is expensive, as are the public relations fees you may have to pay to mitigate publicity from the issue. All of this can add up to a drastic setback for any small businessin many cases, leading foreclosure or bankruptcy. Damage Control Part of the process of recovering from any kind of cybercrime event is figuring out how it happened, then implementing stronger protective measures to avoid it in the future. The initial problem can often stem from something as simple as an employees mistake. User error is the root of much cybercrime, as not all employees follow company security practices. In other cases, some kind of forensic investigation may be required to get to the root of the problem, along with corrective technical actions to fix any issues again, a potentially expensive endeavor. Common Types of Cyber Attacks Educating yourself and your employees on the wide array of cybercrimesfrom malware to DNS filtering and beyond will put you in better position to prevent them. Here are a few of the most common ways that cybercriminals are trying to infiltrate your small business: Malware Lets say an employee happens to click on a pop-up window on a company computer. If the link is malicious, clicking it can result in harmful software being installed on the computer, leading to threats including ransomware, viruses, or spyware. Spyware enables intruders to gain access to personal information and obtain passwords that can then be used by intruders to log in to your systems as a legitimate user and do all sorts of harm. Phishing Phishing scams often come in the form of deceitful emails, social media messages, or texts that look legitimate but are in fact attempts to steal personal information, including financial information and passwords, or to install malware. If this happens on a company computer, it can leave your business and network in a vulnerable position. DDoS Attacks DDoS stands for distributed denial-of-service attack. This occurs when cybercriminals use bots to flood your network, website or other systems with illegitimate traffic. The intent is to overwhelm the systems resources and bandwidth. This causes immediate disruption, such as a slow or nonresponsive website, while also leaving your small business susceptible to further attacks that can potentially crash your systems and further disrupt your business. How to Protect Your Business From Cyber Attacks Any company can experience these types of attacks, from small, mom-and-pop shops to corporate conglomerates. The good news? You can take numerous security measures to protect company data and sensitive information. By implementing appropriate antivirus software and other security solutions, you can ensure your business and customers are protected against hackers. Cybercrime tactics arent static. In fact, cybercriminals are getting smarter, so businesses must get smarter too. Optimum offers protective solutions like firewall and antivirus software, as well as offerings to fight the threats of malware, phishing, and DDoS attacks. Our support team can help you find the security solution thats right for your small business, and help you get properly set up. We also offer 24/7/365 technical support to ensure youre always covered and protected, because cyber-attacks can happen at any time. Hackers are always looking to improve their techniques, and we are too. Were constantly improving our products and services, so our clients stay secure in this ever-changing world. To read more about the steps you can take to protect your small business, check out our blog detailing the 5 Best Practices for Small Business Cyber Security. To learn more about how Optimum can help your small business stay safe, contact us today. The US government has introduced new regulations that make it difficult for Western technology companies to export certain computer components to China. So, Nvidia is now in the process of developing a special version of its AI chip that can be sold to China without violating the new laws. According to Reuters, the chip is a variant of the B200, one of the processors in the Blackwell series launched in March. The special version is called B20 and is estimated to be 30 times faster than previous chips when answering questions from chatbots. China currently accounts for 17 percent of Nvidias turnover, which can be compared with 26 percent two years ago. Photo: Google Maps Fourteen Gay Street, the landmarked Greenwich Village townhouse that was demolished after construction work destabilized its foundation in 2022, is entering its next era: megamansion. The now-empty lot and neighboring 1,800-square-foot townhouse at 16 Gay Street (also landmarked) have been sold for $4.9 million to Gay Street Revival Initiative 1 and 2, a pair of limited-liability companies linked to Vladlen Koltun, an Israeli American computer scientist who works at Apple. When the properties went on the market for $6.64 million last August, the listing marketed them as a potential 40-foot wide, 4,500-square-foot single-family home. Matthew Lesser, one of the Leslie J. Garfield brokers who had the listing, confirmed that the buyer intends to build a new single-family home at the site. A close-up on 14 and 16 Gay, both landmarked, only one still standing. Photo: Berenice Abbott via NYPL Picture Collection Until a few years ago, the properties were part of the real-estate portfolio owned by Celeste Martin, an eccentric landlord known for her eclectic tenants, her generosity she would waive rent for those in extremis, according to the New York Times, and delivered Christmas gifts of pink Champagne and sweets and a lackadaisical approach to maintenance. She died in 2018, at 94, without a will or any direct relatives, and the city sold the six buildings she owned on Christopher and Gay Streets for $9 million. (Martin also owned a handful of other Village properties, including the pink house at 114 Waverly Place, which Bob and Cortney Novogratz bought from the city after her death.) That new owner flipped the Gay Street houses to developer Lionel Nazarian for $12 million in April 2022, and he set off on a heavy renovation. The work, says the city, violated Landmarks and DOB rules, and undermined the foundations of No. 14. Bob Nazarian calls it all a terrible mistake; assemblymember Deborah Glick and Andrew Berman, of the Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation, have suggested that it may have been deliberate the buildings were in bad shape, needing work that Nazarian admitted was going to be more expensive than I thought, and it was easy enough to imagine that hed just done whatever he felt like doing and then declared an oopsie. An overhead view of 16 Gay and the now-empty lot where 14 once stood, as shown in listing photos, where the buyer can build a new 40-foot-wide 4,500-square-foot house. Photo: Leslie J. Garfield The city issued emergency stop work and vacate orders on November 7, 2022, deeming No. 14 in danger of immediate collapse and No. 16 structurally compromised, and erected an emergency construction fence to protect the public. Preservationists staged a protest vigil, demanding that Nazarian undo whatever hed done, but No. 14 was declared unsafe by the city and came down, erasing one more piece of unrarefied Village history. The townhouses, which date (or rather dated) to the 1820s, werent grand: They were intended for the mercantile class, the architectural historian Andrew Dolkart told the New York Times, remnants of an era when shop owners and small business owners could afford to live in a single-family home in a built-up section of Manhattan. Later, as many Village townhouses were broken up into cheap apartments for artists and writers, Martins father divvied the buildings up into furnished studios. He saw himself as both an artist and budding real-estate mogul, and inspired the Greek landlord character Mr. Appopolous in My Sister Eileen, a collection of stories written by onetime tenant Ruth McKenney that became the 1950s musical Wonderful Town. In 2003, a terrible fire in the building killed the tenant who lived in McKenneys old ground-floor apartment; he and Martin, whod been friends, had gone to see a Broadway revival of Wonderful Town only a few weeks earlier. She never repaired the unit, leaving it to rot instead. The Bohemian era was already all-but vanished by the time Martin died. (There is still at least one performing-artist tenant in a neighboring building that Martin owned, but he told me his neighbors had all been bought or driven out.) The West Village era of hedge funders and tech titans is now upon us: Sean Parker has a triple-wide on West 17th, biotech hedge funder Felix Baker owns the 15,000-square-foot former charity foundation at 27 Christopher, and Steve Cohen built a megamansion at 145 Perry Street. The yet-to-be-built property at 14-16 Gay Street is, in such company, practically modest. While 40 feet is wide, 4,500 square feet is the size of a normalish Greenwich Village townhouse. Because its in a historic district, the new house will have to clear Landmarks approval and conform to the neighborhoods scale, but it is almost sure to be melded with the house at No. 16, retaining little historic integrity besides its facade. Koltun did not respond to requests for comment, so we wont know the details of what hes intending to do with the property until plans are filed with the city. Whatever it is, it wont need to be constructed with materials from the demolished building, as preservationists had called for. Those were deemed unsalvageable, with the exception of the door. A listing photo shows 214 Lafayette today, lit up as if its occupied. But the building was originally designed to fool passersby with faux windows hiding its first tenant: a power substation. Photo: Douglas Elliman Details: Price: $39 million Specs: 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths Extras: Swimming pool, elevator, wood-burning fireplace, terrace Ten-minute walking radius: Balthazar, the Drawing Center, Housing Works Bookstore Listed by: Douglas Elliman At a lunch in the 1980s, the art dealer Max Protech and Frank Gehry got to talking about how they would divvy up their new space. They were pooling money to buy a five-story Soho building 214 Lafayette Street and Gehry sketched out the general idea on a doily. Protech would have a gallery on the street level, Gehry would have offices in back, and Protech could have storage space upstairs. Gehry never moved in it turned out those dividing walls were expensive. Protech conceived of 214 Lafayette as a place to show sculptures. The building was massive, perfect for showing work that couldnt squeeze into his uptown gallery. From the street, the facade looked grand and bankish with a roofline capped with a Roman pediment and a huge half-circle window. But behind, it wasnt a bank or floors of impressive apartments. 214 had been a power substation, and the first three floors made up one massive room 100 feet deep the ideal setting for a show of swirling metal abstractions by Alice Aycock, or a survey that included only women sculptors. Theres that attitude that women cant be macho, Protech said. But against the gritty, industrial space, the show proved they had visions and ambitions greater than the male architects and artists. Protech sold the building in 1996 for $1.7 million to a pair of artists: the songwriter Dyan Humes-Nispel and her husband, Marcus Nispel. In the early 90s, Marcus rode a surge in budgets for music videos, directing for Mariah Carey, the B-52s, Bette Midler, and Janet Jackson. The central gallery space (left) was massive. Protech oversaw a full renovation that also cleared out a basement (right). From left: Photo: Max Protech Gallery Photo: Max Protech Gallery The central gallery space (left) was massive. Protech oversaw a full renovation that also cleared out a basement (right). From top: Photo: Max Protech... more The central gallery space (left) was massive. Protech oversaw a full renovation that also cleared out a basement (right). From top: Photo: Max Protech Gallery Photo: Max Protech Gallery The pair renovated 214 for 12 years adding three bedrooms, a terrace, a wood-burning fireplace, and a den with barrel-vaulted ceilings. The work seemed designed to turn it not into somewhere to live but rather into the ideal home for a video shoot. And its unclear if they ever actually lived upstairs. By 2013, the Nispels were renting the space to Hollywood for $20,000 a day. For bedroom scenes, there were three on the upper floors with a wide terrace off the primary. To play a dance club or a party space or an art studio, even, there was a great room with double-height ceilings. And a lofted area let cameras shoot down easily. But the real draw must have been the 40-foot-long pool. The Nispel renovation lodged it in the basement with a portal window set into the side of the tank that made underwater shots a breeze. John Mayer used it for his 2009 video Who Says, and Beyonce made it famous in Halo, gliding through the blue water in diaphanous silks. In 2016, the building had a starring turn in Mr. Robot as a makeshift office for hackers. Meanwhile, Marcuss career took off with big box-office remakes of horror features: Friday the 13th and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The Nispels put the house on the market last week, asking $39 million. The broker said he and his client wouldnt comment for this story. But if theyre choosing to sell now, there are two likely reasons. First, the couple divorced in 2022. And second, film shoots in the city have been drying up lately. Still, theyve been finding uses for it. Last year, McIntosh turned the space into a pop-up showroom for sound systems with the former gallery showcasing a pyramid of amplifiers. A listing photo shows the studio location used for dance scenes in Beyonces music video for Halo, and the photo includes a piece of the buildings unique history. After Banksy tagged the doors downstairs, the owner took them off their hinges and hung them as an artwork (right). Photo: Douglas Elliman The 40-foot-long swimming pool in a listing photo. The pool featured in a party scene for a John Mayer music video, and swimmers underwater can be seen off a circular portal window one flight down. Photo: Douglas Elliman The doily on which Gehry sketched his designs for 214 Lafayette. Photo: Kim Richardson/Max Protech Gallery The job of the police is to detect crime and provide the courts with the evidence against those they have arrested and charged. It is not their job to comment on any sentences passed. Yet this does not seem to be the view of Detective Inspector Chris Rudd, leader of the investigation into the Just Stop Oil fivesome who, in November 2022, organised a highly dangerous scheme that disrupted traffic on the M25 for five days, causing misery to hundreds of thousands, not least those who missed funerals and hospital appointments. Yet last week, after the jury reached their verdict and Judge Christopher Hehir handed down sentences of five years to the co-founder of Just Stop Oil, Roger Hallam, and four years to the four other defendants, Det Insp Rudd took it upon himself to offer an opinion: 'The judge commented upon sentencing that he hoped it might have some deterrent effect. I do hope it does but for some, it might be a rallying call.' Disruption Rudd's warning about the length of the sentences which are none of his business evokes the sense that the police have an indulgent attitude to the antics of the Just Stop Oil fanatics. Woe betide any driver who becomes impatient with this. From left to right: Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, Cressida Gethin, Louise Lancaster, Daniel Shaw and Roger Hallam have been handed prison sentences last week. Roger Hallam, an environmental activist who was one of the founding members of the group (pictured at a protest in 2019), was jailed for five years last week for conspiring to organise protests that blocked the M25 motorway in November 2022 The vast amount of time and money spent by the Metropolitan Police in managing these disruptive events only depletes further the resources it devotes to the fight against what we might describe as 'ordinary crime' Last year, when a frustrated motorist dragged some of those blocking traffic on Blackfriars Bridge in central London out of the road, he was charged at by police officers and handcuffed. They pinned him against a van blocked by the eco-zealots who were allowed to continue their disruption of those trying to get to work (or, indeed, hospital). The vast amount of time and money spent by the Metropolitan Police in managing these disruptive events only depletes further the resources it devotes to the fight against what we might describe as 'ordinary crime'. Last week, Channel 4's Dispatches showed how the Met failed to identify a single suspect for neighbourhood crimes in more than 160 localities: in these areas over the past three years 'there were more than 10,000 thefts from a person, with more than 99 per cent of them going unsolved'. A motorist attempted to drag a Just Stop Oil activist off the road during a protest on Blackfriars Bridge in London in May 2023 Police then swooped in and handcuffed the motorist who was trying to remove the activists And the day before officer Rudd's gratuitous commentary on Judge Hehir's sentencing was published, the Chief Inspector of the police in England and Wales, Andy Cooke, described as 'unjustifiable' the inconsistencies across police forces in responding to crime. They were still struggling, said Cooke, 'to get the basics right'. Anyone who read Guy Adams's damning investigation in the Mail into the contemptibly languorous attitude of the police towards high-value shoplifting gangs in the London Borough of Chiswick will know what that means. On the other side, there is the remarkable turn-around over the past three years of the Greater Manchester Police under its no-nonsense Chief Constable, Stephen Watson. Judge Christopher Hehir (pictured) handed down sentences of five years to the co-founder of Just Stop Oil, Roger Hallam, and four years to the four other defendants GMP had been put in 'special measures', but under this new leadership, every crime is investigated, and emergency response times have risen to among the best. As a result, robbery and burglary have fallen sharply (the latter by almost 25 per cent). I can't imagine that Chief Constable Watson would have tolerated one of his officers bleating about the risk of provoking dissent, when exemplary prison sentences are passed on reckless, repeat offenders which is what those defendants in Hehir's court were. Indeed, they were all on bail from previous offences at the time of their M25 escapade, with Hallam in receipt of a suspended sentence order for his role in a plan to disrupt operations at Heathrow Airport by the use of drones. Fanaticism In 2021, I wrote that Hallam was 'a nasty piece of work' in an article which mentioned how, a year before, he was recorded telling a group of his followers that the 'people who run society, run big business', whom he judged culpable for the 'climate catastrophe maybe you should put a bullet through their head'. Hallam's reaction to my comments was to put up a film on YouTube under the headline: 'Dominic Lawson will be Hanged for Climate Crimes.' Hallam's film amounted to his case for my prosecution and death sentence. Now he has been convicted and sentenced under the legal system he despises (Hallam denounced the judge's sentencing remarks and the jury's verdict as 'the banality of evil'). But Judge Hehir is protecting every one of us against fanaticism. The police, above all, should respect that. No lectures on conduct from Tom Watson, please: From Tom Watson, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party, warm words of endorsement for the newly elected Green MP Ellie Chowns, who said how 'shocking' she found the parliamentary conduct of Conservatives in last week's debate on planning and rural affairs: 'From the patronising and catty speech by Kemi Badenoch at the start to their braying benches at the end. We need better.' Watson tweeted in response: 'Fair play on the new MPs calling it out.' I agree about the 'braying'. But Badenoch's speech, responding to that of the new Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, was teasing and actually friendly in tone, as the amused expression on Rayner's face made clear. More to the point, who is Tom Watson to accuse Badenoch, or indeed any Conservative, of inappropriate parliamentary conduct? Tom Watson, made a peer by Sir Keir Starmer, for services rendered to the Labour Party This is the man who, during Prime Minister's Questions in 2012, used parliamentary privilege to claim that there was 'a powerful paedophile network linked to Parliament and No 10'. The source for this astonishing allegation was none other than Carl Beech, later sentenced to 18 years in prison, on 12 counts of perverting the course of justice, when it was established that all his claims about a 'VIP child sex ring' were fraudulent. Watson also put into print the wicked claim by Beech that the late Lord (Leon) Brittan, the former Home Secretary, was 'as close to evil as any human being could get'. This foul fiction was, as a BBC Panorama investigation revealed, first propagated by a former Labour councillor and convicted fraudster called Chris Fay. Fay admitted in 2015 that he'd enjoyed 'on a political level' accusations of child sex abuse against prominent Conservatives, and that he'd passed his allegations against the blameless Brittan (then suffering from terminal cancer) to Watson. And where is Tom Watson now? In the House of Lords, put there by Sir Keir Starmer for services rendered to the Labour Party. The fact that Lord Watson, in his first speech there, finally apologised for his traducing of its former member, Lord Brittan, is neither here nor there, in this context: he is the last man in Westminster to lecture anyone on the limits of parliamentary conduct. If harnessed properly, the potential for artificial intelligence to transform our lives for the better is almost limitless. With its promised revolutions in science and industry, AI offers enormous opportunities for mankind from combating air pollution to finding a cure for cancer. But there is another, darker side to the coin. AI is speeding ahead so quickly that safety is being lost in the slipstream. Child sexual exploitation is one of the most pernicious evils known to humanity. Paedophiles and pornographers have now seized upon AI as a way of peddling their filth. They are misusing the software to create computer-generated, but horrifyingly realistic, images and videos of children being sadistically abused what is known as deepfake pornography. With its promised revolutions in science and industry, AI offers enormous opportunities for mankind from combating air pollution to finding a cure for cancer. But there is another, darker side to the coin (stock image) Paedophiles and pornographers have now seized upon AI as a way of peddling their filth (stock image) Predators are harvesting photos of boys and girls from social media accounts belonging to their family, friends or schools. In some cases, smartphone apps are used to nudify the victim. In others, a youngsters face is seamlessly blended with existing footage of children being raped. There has not only been a disturbing rise in AI-generated child abuse images. Worse, these paedophiles have been able to market their grotesque material on Instagram. Because Meta, which owns the platform, receives revenue from adverts placed alongside content including that uploaded by the perverts it stands accused of profiting from abuse of children. Baroness Kidron, of the 5Rights Foundation childrens charity, says that by turning a blind eye, the tech giant is complicit in this trade in misery. Now she has launched a landmark legal bid to force Meta to act. The last Tory government made it a crime to download, share or create sexually explicit images using AI tools. But regulation still lags behind the technology that enables this offence. Social media companies must take responsibility. Surely it is in their power to stop these explicit images circulating. The question is, how badly do they want to? Democratic mess In the end, it had become inevitable that Joe Biden would have to withdraw his candidacy for re-election as US President. In the end, it had become inevitable that Joe Biden would have to withdraw his candidacy for re-election as US President He had been under pressure from fellow Democrats to quit since his car-crash debate against Donald Trump. The polls showed him being trounced at the ballot box. But if Mr Biden wanted to act in the best interest of the country, as he said, shouldnt he have stepped down earlier? The decline of his mental faculties has been obvious since before he won the White House. Any questions about Mr Bidens fitness for the job were dismissed as Republican smears. Now deeply unpopular vice-president Kamala Harris may run instead. By failing to be honest about Mr Bidens cognitive deterioration, the Democrats have created the mess they are now in. Holding back Kyiv Britain should be proud that it has led the world in supplying weapons to Ukraine in order to repel Vladimir Putins invasion. But by refusing president Volodymyr Zelenskys request to fire Storm Shadow missiles deep into Russia, Sir Keir Starmer is impeding Kyivs ability to defend itself. Its absurd Ukraine is not permitted to strike the weapons factories, ammunition depots and drone bases far from the frontline that Moscow is using for attacks. If Labour sincerely wants the Ukrainians to win, why is it making them fight with one arm tied behind their backs? Standing on the steps of Blenheim Palace on Thursday, European leaders surrounded Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in an image of steadfast support. But you could forgive Zelensky for wondering how stalwart those allies really are. Two and half years into Vladimir Putin's bloody war, it must increasingly seem to Zelensky that Nato is offering just enough to keep Ukraine limping on but not enough to smash Moscow's forces completely. What else could explain the West's ambiguity over the use of long-range weapons to attack targets in Russia? On Friday, Sir Keir Starmer rebuffed Zelensky's plea that he ditch the UK's veto on Storm Shadow 'bunker-buster' weapons, which have a range of 186 miles, striking targets inside Russia. As it stands, 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. Pictured: Starmer and Zelensky shake hands during a meeting at 10 Downing Street on July 19 Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting via videoconference on July 19 General The Lord Dannatt (pictured) is a former Chief of the General Staff and co-author of Victory to Defeat The British Army 1918 To 1940. He argues Zelensky must be given what it takes to defeat Putin on this battlefield This position is, of course, calculated to avoid provoking Putin into wider retaliation. At the heart of that fear is the terrible ultimate prospect that the dictator might reach for the nuclear button, but even less apocalyptic concerns help to dictate policy. But success in armed conflict can be achieved only if all elements of the battlefield are dominated. In classic Nato doctrine, this means winning the 'deep, close and rear' battles that is long-range strikes and raids on infrastructure (deep), front-line combat (close) and the essential support mechanisms such as logistics and headquarters (rear). Just as Russia is hitting Ukrainian cities, factories and infrastructure, any general knows it is perfectly reasonable for Ukraine to do the same in order to degrade its enemy's military capability. But thanks to the current restrictions on missile use, Ukraine's armed forces can't execute the 'deep' battle. Zelensky is being forced to fight with one arm tied behind his back. That's why I believe decision-makers in Washington, London, Berlin and Paris must authorise the use of long-range weapons, such as the Storm Shadow, to strike targets inside Russia. It would be foolish to discount the possibility of some escalation. But, as in the Cold War, I'm confident this war, at least, won't go nuclear, despite the warnings of those concerned about Britain's deepening involvement in the conflict. A soldier from the 80th Air assault brigade trains in the direction of Chasiv Yar, Ukraine, on July 20 Zelensky became the first foreign leader to attend a meeting of the British Cabinet in person since 1997 last Friday For one thing, Russian tactics would likely use a tactical nuclear weapon only to stop an enemy breakthrough in Ukraine. Such a breakthrough could occur only in one of the four eastern provinces that Putin has declared to be forever Russian. Where is the logic in irradiating many square miles of your own soil? Then there is the relationship between China and Russia to consider. President Xi has so far offered only mild support to Putin and is unquestionably the dominant partner in the relationship. Xi has consistently opposed the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Of course, escalation could be serious long before it reached nuclear proportions. A cyber attack on the scale of the outage chaos caused last Friday by CrowdStrike is well within Russia's capability, as is severing underwater communications or energy pipelines in the North Sea. And if the Houthi rebels in Yemen were capable of striking Tel Aviv, we cannot rule out a long-range conventional missile strike on a target in Western Europe, even potentially here in the UK. A Ukrainian serviceman of the 24th Mechanized Brigade fires a 155mm M-109 'Paladin' howitzer towards a Russian position on the front line near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, on July 20 soldier from the 80th Air assault brigade dismounts from a -80 tank while training in Ukraine Keir Starmer shakes hands with President Volodymyr Zelensky on the steps of 10 Downing Street on July 19 Nevertheless, military theoreticians often refer to the concept of 'limited war' that is, restricted in its aims and its geography. The war in Ukraine does indeed have limits, but history has demonstrated that Putin's ambition is not restrained in the same way. Before Ukraine there was Chechnya and Georgia. Why, after Ukraine, should we not think there might be Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia, or all three or even Poland? Anxiety levels are already high in the Baltic States, and one has to wonder why at this moment in their history, both Sweden and Finland recently chose to join Nato. The fear of Russian expansion is tangible on Russia's borders no wonder the Poles are spending more than 4 per cent of GDP on defence and building the largest army in Europe. Any discussion of Ukraine's prospect of achieving military success must also confront the elephant in the room Donald Trump, who looks likely to win the presidency in November. He has made the bombastic claim that he could settle the war in a day with one telephone call. If that's the case, Ukraine must be given every chance to achieve a position of advantage on the battlefield before that call is made. If this war is to have a successfully negotiated end, Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position at the start of any talks. The reality is that Putin must be stopped, and Ukraine is the place to stop him. The best means of doing so is by giving Kyiv what it needs to finish the job. The price of stopping Putin now is far better than paying the price of a wider devastating war as the history of the last century shows. General The Lord Dannatt is a former Chief of the General Staff and co-author of Victory to Defeat The British Army 1918 To 1940 The former White House doctor Ronny Jackson was adamant. I am concerned he does not have the mental capacity, the cognitive ability, to serve as Commander-in-Chief and Head of State. He was talking about Joe Biden not yesterday but four years ago, before Biden became President. President Joe Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris, who is likely to be his replacement in the race against Donald Trump Jackson, a retired U.S. navy rear admiral, was appointed by George W. Bush and went on to serve as official physician to Presidents Obama and Trump. He had observed Biden on the campaign trail in 2019 and concluded that he was already a few French fries short of a Happy Meal. Two years later, after the shameful scuttle from Kabul, Biden went missing for six days, along with his Vice President Kamala Harris. The only photograph of the President showed him hunkered down at his Camp David rural retreat, staring at an array of giant TV screens. He kept pressing the remote control, hoping for a different result, like the simpleton Chauncey Gardiner, who rises to become a presidential adviser in the Peter Sellers movie Being There. Jackson tweeted: If hes not mentally capable of handling the crisis, he needs to resign IMMEDIATELY. Back then, I dubbed Biden and Harris Lord and Lady Gaga. Subsequently, in March this year, Biden spent two days being interviewed by a special prosecutor Robert Hur, appointed to investigate Sleepy Joe hoarding classified documents in his garage at home the same alleged crime which led to the military-style raid on Trumps Mar-a-Lago compound. Hur concluded that although Biden had a case to answer, there was no point in bringing charges since he was too senile to stand trial. Any jury would find him mentally incompetent. According to Hur, Bidens memory was already fading when his ghostwriter was writing his autobiography in 2017 three years before he ran for President. The headline on this column read: If Bidens mentally unfit to stand trial, hes mentally unfit to be President. Fast forward five months and Donald Trump and others are demanding that Biden resigns the Presidency immediately. If a week is a long time in politics, then the nine days since Trump survived an assassination attempt feels like a lifetime. The circus hasnt so much moved on as sent in the clowns. Gone is the more reflective Trump seen at the Republican National Convention. Back is the savage attack dog. Its politics in the raw as usual. Yesterday, Trump even claimed that Biden never had Covid. Certainly Bidens positive test was convenient, as the pressure mounting on him to withdraw from the race reached critical mass. When the going gets tough, Joe goes missing whether during the Afghan withdrawal or the 2020 election campaign, which he spent hiding in his basement in Delaware, using the pandemic as an excuse. Trump posted on his Truth Social account: Who is running our Country right now? Its not Crooked Joe, he has no idea where he is. And Trump isnt the only one asking who is in charge of the clattering train. So are millions of Americans, who have no idea who is making the decisions at the White House. It isnt Biden and certainly isnt Kamala Harris. The real scandal here is not only that Biden is no longer fit to be President. The truth is he never was. If Hur is to be believed, it was obvious Joe wasnt playing with a full deck seven years ago. Yet despite White House physician Jacksons repeated warnings about his unfitness for office and a catalogue of blunders and brain-freezes as long as Interstate 95, the Democrats still chose him as their candidate. Biden got the nod because he was seen as the only candidate who could stop Hard Left headbanger Bernie Sanders Americas answer to Jeremy Corbyn and beat the hated Trump. He hadnt run in 2016 when he should have been the presumptive nominee because Barack Obama declined to endorse him, despite Biden being his Veep for eight years. What did Obama know that America didnt? Those close to Biden, such as Congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer must have known he was away with the fairies. But they left him in place cynically to preserve their own power base. Only when it became apparent, after that disastrous first debate three weeks ago, that Trump was nailed on not only to win the White House but would deliver a Republican landslide in both the Senate and the House of Representatives did they deliver the coup de grace. Et tu, Nancy? Ive always believed the Democrats would dump Biden before the election. But why did they leave it so late? Why was he allowed to win the nomination for a second term unopposed? Having propped up Lord Gaga for the past three and a half years theyre now turning to Lady Gaga for their salvation. I can only conclude they must have a death wish. Former White House doctor Ronny Jackson, who is the U.S. representative of Texas's 13th congressional district They are rallying round Kamala, backed by the Democrat cheerleaders in the mainstream media who have been shamefully complicit in covering up Bidens decline. Shes already being built up as Queen Kamala, the natural successor, a groundbreaking candidate, a competent administrator and exciting orator. This flies in the face of all the evidence, especially a poll last year which declared her the worst VP in recent memory. Her track record is disastrous to say the least. The only serious job she was given was tackling illegal immigration. Hows that working out, then? On her watch, more than seven million migrants and counting have crossed Americas southern border. When she was asked why she hadnt visited the border three months into her job, she replied bizarrely: Well, I havent been to Europe either. This is just one of her incomprehensible word salad statements and associated gaffes and giggles. Harris is continuity Joe Biden in waiting. Shes been at his side for all his major mistakes and must also have been well aware of his mental incapacity. Biden has endorsed his Veep, but this is more of a calculated screw you to Pelosi and Schumer and all those who he believes stabbed him in the back than a vote of confidence in Kamala. Its reported he had his doubts about Harris all along and only picked her because she ticked the black and female boxes and didnt present a threat to him. If she emerges victorious, it will be conclusive evidence of the Democrats descent into the divisive politics of identity, where to paraphrase Martin Luther King a Presidential candidate can now be chosen not on the content of her character or her ability to do the job but on the colour of her skin and her gender. Who would she choose as her running mate? More pertinently, who would want to be Kamalas VP? Governors Newsom and Whitmer, of California and Michigan, would be well advised to keep their powder dry until 2028. Why go off half-cock against a resurgent Trump/Vance ticket? Perhaps Kamala could plump for openly gay transport secretary Pete Buttigieg. Crazy name, crazy guy. A black woman/gay man combo would have Democratic activists salivating. How it would play in the Bible Belt and the bars of Middle America is a whole different question. The mainstream media is currently attempting to change the narrative around the election, claiming Trump would find it much harder to beat Harris, especially if she becomes the incumbent, even though polls show her trailing him in all the key battleground states such as Michigan. In calling on Biden to pass the keys to the Oval Office to Harris, theyre warning: Be careful what you wish for, Donald. These are the same sycophants who were still reassuring Americans that Biden was in great shape and should be given another four years. Trump is confident hell beat whoever they run against him, and the polls back him up. The mainstream media has been claiming that Donald Trump, seen here accepting the nomination for President at the Republican National Convention, would find it much harder to beat Kamala Harris Meanwhile, the wider world looks on in horror. The only winners are Moscow, Pyongyang, Tehran and Beijing. On Sunday, in the run-up to Bidens announcement, Fox News was carrying two breaking news stories. One was about the Iranian-backed Houthis launching a rocket attack on an Israeli oil refinery, right under the noses of American forces in the region to deter attacks on Western shipping. The other concentrated on an intelligence report claiming that China was about to launch an imminent invasion of Taiwan, which manufactures the lions share of all the silicon chips on the planet. If China monopolises the manufacture and then limits the distribution of chips vital for IT and AI technology, the Microsoft/CloudStrike meltdown will be but a small taste of things to come. Meanwhile, America, the last bulwark against global tyranny, has turned in on itself. With either Biden or Kamala in the White House, the world will become an even more dangerous place. You cant imagine Putin or Xi trembling in their loafers at the prospect of President Harris. The future of not just America but the entire Free World is at stake. Biden is dead man walking, even though he has difficulty putting one foot in front of the other. But just because Lady Gaga is capable of running for office, it doesnt mean shes capable of running the country. She isnt. A sleep scientist spoke about a bizarre sleepwalking case which saw a man drive miles to his mother-in-law's house to murder her - but he was found not guilty. Professor Guy Leschziner, a world-renowned expert in Neurology and Sleep Medicine, appeared on Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett's The Diary of a CEO podcast to speak about sleep disorders and how sleepwalking can be used as a defence in a court of law. The most notorious case occurred in Canada in 1988, when 23-year-old Toronto man Kenneth Parks, was acquitted of murder and attempted murder of his parents in-law. In the early hours of May 23, 1987, he drove 23km to their house, broke in, assaulted his father-in-law, Denis, and stabbed his mother-in-law Barbara Woods, 42, to death. Parks, who had gambling debts, claimed he was asleep the whole time and was not aware of what he was doing. The most notorious sleepwalking case occurred in Canada in 1988, when 23-year-old Toronto man Kenneth Parks, (centre) was acquitted of murder and attempted murder of his parents in-law Professor Guy Leschziner (pictured) speaking on The Diary of a CEO podcast, where he talked about bizarre instances of sleepwalking, including where people had murdered while in slumber Leschziner said: 'Apparently in his sleep he drove several miles to his parents in-law's house and apparently got a tire iron out of the boot of his car and bludgeoned his mother-in-law to death. 'Then tried to kill his father-in-law and ended up throwing him into a swimming pool, now this was made even more curious by the fact that there had been some evidence that he'd been having some financial difficulties and had some discussions with his parents-in-law about about financial issues, but it was deemed by a court of law that this happened whilst he was sleepwalking. 'He was actually acquitted, so this is a remarkable story, now is it impossible for somebody to drive in their sleep? No, I've seen it myself, but it seems like stretching credibility that somebody could have undertaken all of that whilst sleeping, but in the court of law he was found not guilty.' Defense attorney Marlys Edwardh said that on the night of the killing, Parks 'plunged into a deep, deep sleep. His next memory is seeing his mother-in-law's face.'' The attorney said he then regained consciousness, fled the house and drove to a nearby police station. Bob Adair of the Toronto police homicide squad testified Parks said he had no idea how he got to his in-laws' home and told officers he had no reason to harm them. Leschziner revealed that although driving in your sleep is uncommon, it does happen, and he has a patient who has experienced it on numerous occasions. In the early hours of May 23, 1987, he drove 23km to their house, broke in, assaulted his father-in-law, Denis, and stabbed his mother-in-law Barbara Woods, 42, to death Leschziner is a world-renowned expert in Neurology and Sleep Medicine and was the latest guest on Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett's (pictured) The Diary of a CEO podcast He said: 'I've got a patient, who I don't see anymore, who I mentioned in my book. She has driven several miles in her sleep, and in fact has driven a motorbike in her youth in her sleep and the only knowledge that she had, was her landlady at the time said ''where were you going at 1:00 in the morning clutching your motorcycle helmet''. 'She'd obviously been for a ride in the middle of the night without any recollection.' The professor said in those kinds of situations it's likely that the majority of the brain is 'probably awake' because it's hard to envisage how somebody could carry out complicated tasks if the majority of their brain was asleep. Leschziner revealed he has seen many people commit crimes in their sleep and some have been convicted.' He said: 'I was involved with somebody who shot a family member in their sleep. I've seen individuals who have committed sexual assault in their sleep. Somebody who was convicted for rape as a result of a sleep disorder.' Speaking about how sleep disorders are examined in court after a serious crime has been committed, the professor said: 'First of all, is past behavior consistent with what has happened on that night in question. 'Secondly are there any features about the event itself that suggests that there was an attempt to cover it up, or a degree of pre-planning in order to commit that particular act. 'Also whether or not there can be evidence found by studying that individual's sleep, that they suffer from these kinds of sleep disorders.' The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a stunning portrait of Prince George as he celebrates his 11th birthday today. The black and white photo, taken by keen photographer Kate, 42, shows the future King in a suit, beaming for the camera. The young royal, who is the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, was born George Alexander Louis on July 22, 2013, in the the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London. In the new photo, which was shared on the Kensington Palace X and Instagram accounts, George's hair is combed to one side and he's looking sharp - just like his father - in a suit as he beams for the camera. Royal fans have become used to seeing the future King dressed smartly in recent years as he prepares to sit on the throne one day. However, this photo shows the royal looking a little more relaxed in an open collar instead of a tie. He is also wearing what appears to be a delicate handmade bracelet on his left wrist - which looks strikingly similar to jewellery sported by Princess Charlotte and King Charles in recent appearances. Kensington Palace has shared a stunning portrait of Prince George, taken by his mother Kate, to mark his 11th birthday Posting the snap on their social media accounts, the Waleses said: 'Wishing Prince George a very happy 11th birthday today!' They confirmed the snap had been taken by Kate some time this year. The Princess of Wales has long been a keen photographer and is often the person behind the camera when her children's birthday portraits are taken. She is particularly adept at capturing her family in natural poses, letting their personalities shine through. This year, as she has been undergoing cancer treatment, Kate's commitment to capturing her family's special moments has been a sign of encouragement to royal fans that her recovery is going well. In April this year, as Prince Louis celebrated his sixth birthday, the Palace revealed his portrait had once again been taken by Kate - which came as much-needed good news for royal fans who had been concerned about the Princess's condition since she revealed to the world she was undergoing chemotherapy. Prince George's 10th birthday portrait was not taken by Kate, as it often is - instead the Waleses chose to use a snap from Millie Pilkington The Princess of Wales snapped her eldest son in Norfolk just a few weeks before his eighth birthday Prince George was also photographed by his mother Kate on his seventh birthday - looking smart in a khaki polo neck Little lion! Prince George captured by Kate in an England football shirt to mark his sixth birthday in 2019 Prince George's third birthday portrait was taken by Matt Porteous at the Wales family's Norfolk home Prince George's fourth birthday portrait, in which he is beaming at the camera, was taken by Chris Jackson After the royal mother-of-three revealed in March that she had begun the preventative treatment following the discovery of cancerous cells in an abdominal operation in January, many fans were worried for her wellbeing. Later in the year, Kensington Palace revealed other photos Kate had taken for occasions including Father's Day, when a photo was shared of the Wales family on the beach in Norfolk. However, the snap was an encouraging sign that she was back behind the camera and in good spirits; able to continue doing the things she loves. Responding to the new birthday portrait, royal fans gushed over the future King and his stately image - noting a strong resemblance to his father in particular. One person said: 'He's the splitting (sic) image of his father, honestly. Happy Birthday George!' Another added: 'Prince George looks so much like his Dad.' A third royal fan said: 'He is so handsome but I can't believe he is already 11.' Many shared such disbelief that the prince is now 11 years old - with some people making the point that he's 'almost a teen'. As he turns 11 today, George, who is second in line to the throne, is gearing up to begin secondary school in September - although it is not yet clear which institution Kate and William have chosen to send him to. Royal fans responded to the adorable portrait of Prince George, saying the young royal looks identical to his father and gushing over how grown up he looks The Prince and Princess of Wales are sternly private about their children's lives, meaning royal fans will be left guessing as to how George will spend his special day. However, the 11-year-old royal's godmother has revealed a special tradition, inspired by Princess Diana, that she takes part in with her godson every year on his birthday. British psychotherapist Julia Samuels, 64, formed a close friendship with Lady Diana after meeting her at a dinner party in 1987. Speaking on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, she previously revealed that she buys the 'feisty and cheeky' young royal 'impossible' noisy toys that take the Prince of Wales, 42, 'days to put together' in a running joke inspired by Diana. British psychotherapist Julia Samuels (pictured), 64, became friend with Princess Diana after they sat next to each other at a dinner party Prince George has come to resemble a mini statesman in recent months, showing grace and fortitude at official events despite a turbulent time for the royal family Taylor Swift with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince William at her Wembley gig last month George turning to look at the crowds on the Buckingham Palace balcony on the day of the Coronation of his grandfather, King Charles, May 6, 2023 In conversation about George, Julia said: 'He is amazing. He's funny and feisty and cheeky and God she [Diana] would have loved him so much. That is heartbreaking for all of them'. Julia followed in the footsteps of the Princess, who was godmother to her son, revealing: 'So I do to George what she did to us, which is give impossible toys which are really noisy, take a lot of making.' The therapist, who has published two books about grief, also discussed her memories of Princess Diana, saying: 'At the time and what I feel about that in retrospect are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. 'At the time, I sort of felt outraged that people were crying and wailing when they never met her. It didn't make sense. As Princess Charlotte attended the Wimbledon men's final she was also wearing bracelets that looked very similar to the one Prince George was wearing in his birthday portrait During his trip to the Channel Islands last week, King Charles was also spotted wearing a handmade bracelet around his right wrist (appears left in photo) 'But it didn't take me long to realise that people felt they knew her, her vulnerability they connected with. And that it was an amazing tribute.' She revealed: 'You never think one person can change the world and then you see someone like her.' 'By being as open and honest and vulnerable and authentic as she was, it changed the world and it certainly changed Great Britain. She had an absolutely lasting effect on us. 'Now, I feel immensely proud. In those first days, it was a visceral response, it was like, shut up.' After being asked if she was a 'good' godmother to George, she said she was 'pretty good'. Julia explained that she had an on-going tradition with the Waleses, revealing: 'I come in slightly tipped by the size of the present that William then has to spend days putting together. 'And then put all the machinery together and it makes awful tooting noises and lights flashing and all of that. That makes me laugh and it makes George laugh.' But while the young prince embarks upon a new chapter in his life, royal fans have indulged in nostalgia to celebrate his milestone, sharing photos on X, formerly Twitter, of the royal in his infant and toddler years. When he was growing up, George was known for cheeky appearances akin to the comical displays now associated with his younger brother, Prince Louis. The eldest of the Wales children also won hearts around the world with his cherub-like looks. Celebrating his birthday on social media, royal fans wished the young prince many happy returns and shared their favourite childhood snaps of him. As George celebrates his 11th year, it comes after a tough few months for his family due to family illness. In January, Kensington Palace announced the Princess of Wales was taking time out from public facing duties to recover after undergoing abdominal surgery at the London Clinic for a condition that was not revealed to the public. Two months later, following mass speculation and wild conspiracy theories about the state of her health, Kate shared a heartfelt video message in which she revealed doctors had found cancerous cells during her operation. She also revealed that, as a result, she had been undergoing 'preventative' chemotherapy. The Princess shared how she and William 'have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family'. Seven! Prince George pictured celebrating his seventh birthday during lockdown in 2021 2016: Prince George dressed in a navy quilted jacket and light blue rucksack grinned as he made his way into Westacre Montessori School near the family home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk Royal fans have shared their favourite childhood snaps of Prince George to mark his 11th birthday on X, formerly Twitter. Pictured above: A Christmas photo of the young royal in 2014 when he was 18 months old Four-year-old George walking into school with William for his first day at Thomas's in Battersea The public got the chance to see three-month-old Prince George as his mother carries him into St James's Palace for his christening in October 2013 Nearly two, George takes a stroll at the Beaufort Polo Club in 2015 Prince William carrying George into the Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital to visit Kate after Charlotte was born in 2015 The Princess of Wales proved her photography skills once again with a touching image of Prince William (pictured centre) with Prince George (pictured far right), Princess Charlotte (pictured left), and Prince Louis (pictured right), for Father's Day Meanwhile George's grandfather King Charles, 75, is also undergoing treatment for cancer, although he has returned to public facing duties in recent months. In a sign that his mother's treatment is going well, George enjoyed a public outing with her at Trooping the Colour to mark the King's official birthday in June. He rode in a carriage with Kate, Charlotte and 6-year-old Louis during the procession and stood on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with his family. Despite the family struggles, George has continued to shine at all his public appearances. His demeanor has demonstrated how the young Prince is being well prepared for his future responsibilities as monarch. He has been to Aston Villa matches, the FA Cup final and England's clash with Spain in the Euro 2024 final earlier this month. As George approaches secondary school age, there has also been speculation over where he will spend his next stage of education. Prince William attended the prestigious Eton College while Kate went to Marlborough School in Buckinghamshire. William and Kate visited both as they looked into options for George. But it emerged earlier this year that the couple had added Oundle School in Peterborough to their list of options for their eldest son. The 34,000-a-year co-educational school in north Northamptonshire dates from 1556 but has a modern ethos, boasting on its website: 'We have a responsibility to ensure that every single member of the school community takes both individual and collective action towards environmental sustainability.' As royal fans are left speculating as to where the young prince will continue his education as he reaches secondary level, one joked: 'Now he can go to Hogwarts.' Viewers of 22 Kids and Counting have praised Sue and Noel Radford's large family for paying tribute to a young girl who died of cancer. The brood, from Morecambe, Lancashire, often share every aspect of their lives on their social media accounts and the Channel 5 show. But they were recently left 'heartbroken' after finding out Sophie Walker, a family friend, passed away from cancer a couple of weeks ago. The 17-year-old was diagnosed with Wilms tumour in 2017 after going to the doctors with a suspected stomach bug. Their show came back on-air for season 5 yesterday and at the end of the first episode, the clan - dubbed Britain's largest family - paid tribute to the teenager. 22 Kids and Counting came back on-air for season 5 yesterday and at the end of the first episode, the clan - dubbed Britain's largest family - paid tribute to Sophie Walker The Radford family, from Morecambe, Lancashire, often share every aspect of their lives on their social media accounts and the Channel 5 show It featured a picture of Sophie along and stated 'In Loving Memory of Sophie Walker 2006-2024'. This seemed to have struck a chord with fans of the Radfords, who praised them for their 'lovely' tribute to her. One wrote: 'The tribute to Sophie at the end was such a lovely gesture it made me cry.' Another penned: 'Lovely tribute at the end xx,' while a third said: 'Love the tribute for Sophie at the end, RIP sweet angel.' A fourth commented: 'So lovely, the tribute for Sophie at the end,' followed by a red love heart emoji. Sophie, from Edinburgh, died on 6 July with her family - including her twin sister Megan - by her side. The Walker family, who are a family of 12, updated their Facebook page the following day and wrote: 'Our beautiful, intelligent, funny, thoughtful and brave girl Sophie fell fast asleep last night just after 6.30pm with Megan lying by her side and surrounded by all her family. Sue and Noel Radford have been posting about Sophie's fundraiser on their on social media account, along with trying to raise money for it themselves Sophie (pictured left), from Edinburgh, died on 6 July with her family - including her twin sister Megan (pictured right) - by her side The tribute from the Radford family seemed to have struck a chord with fans, who praised them for their 'lovely' tribute to her 'We love Sophie with all our hearts and our world will never be the same again, to say we are heartbroken is a complete understatement. 'Please keep our broken family in your thoughts & prayers, this is a post I never ever thought I'd have to write.' The Radfords then re-posted this statement on their social media and said they were 'heartbroken'. The family said: 'I cant even find the right words. Beautiful Sophie our hearts are broken, you really were the most beautiful kind hearted funny and bravest girl we will miss your beautiful smile and laugh so much. 'You rest now Sophie and take care of your beautiful amazing family. Love you forever beautiful Sophie.' The Walker clan started a fundraiser for Sophie so that she could get treatment in Germany and raised more than 92,000. She was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, in 2017, when she was just 10 years old. The family said she was cured after her first treatment but it relapsed to her back muscle. She was then due to have surgery but it was cancelled in April 2020 because of the Covid pandemic. Sophie relapsed three times since then, with the family adding that the NHS could not offer her 'much hope,' so they therefore sought private treatments in Germany. Sophie (pictured left with twin sister Megan, right) was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, in 2017, when she was just 10 years old The Radford brood has previously undergone a series of tasks to raise money for treatment, kicking off with an urgent video appeal to their social media followers. Next, the family also decided to bring in funds with a car boot sale, where 11-year-old Casper parted with a beloved Baby Yoda toy for the cause. Finally, the brood came together - sporting matching bright yellow T-shirts - to run the Morecambe 5K, which they dubbed the Radford Relay to reach their target. The Walkers, who are based in Edinburgh, were so touched by the family's dedication to their daughter's cause that they met them at the end of the finish line. 'Lovely that they've done this,' Rebecca said in an episode that aired in January. 'It's really nice. We just felt we had to come down.' Sue explained that the Walkers - who have nine children - have been incredible friends to the Radfords because they understand what it's like to have a large family. A hero mum who fought cancer three times has told how she learned she was pregnant just moments before undergoing surgery to remove a tumour. Danielle Emery, 39, from Reading, was suffering with a sore throat but assumed it was a simple cold - that is until she was handed a shock diagnosis of laryngeal cancer. Laryngeal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the voice box or larynx, a part of the throat found at the entrance of the windpipe, also known as the trachea. Utterly terrified about the future, the carer was given hope when emergency surgery was planned to tackle the disease. However Danielle was left stunned when doctors also informed her she was 11 weeks pregnant. Given just a few minutes to make the agonising choice to save her life or that of her baby's, she chose to have the surgery, risking a '99 per cent' chance of miscarriage in the process. Hero mum Danielle Emery, 39, who fought cancer three times, has told how she learned she was pregnant just moments before undergoing surgery to remove a tumour (Pictured left: Danielle gives birth to her first child Callum; right: Danielle poses with her son months later) After beating cancer three times Danielle ran the Race For Life for Cancer Research UK with some friends But for the first-time mum, the decision would turn out to be her best one yet, as she welcomed her 'miracle baby' Callum months later. 'There was a 99 per cent chance I would miscarry as I was quite early on in my pregnancy' explained Danielle. 'It was explained how important the operation was to save my life. I had only a few minutes to make the most difficult decision I've ever had to make - but without me, there would be no baby anyway. 'I went ahead and fortunately, it was successful at removing all the cancer. And my baby was fine, too'. Danielle received the shock of her life when she was diagnosed with cancer in April 2019. She recalled at the time feeling lowly and having to strain her voice, leading her to make a visit to the doctor. However doctors initially suggested it was laryngitis - a condition that causes your vocal cords to become irritated or swollen - before confirming that it was, in fact, laryngeal cancer. During the ordeal, Danielle remembered her period being late, but she put it down to mounting stress. Danielle was overjoyed to welcome her 'miracle baby' Callum - pictured here as a newborn baby in hospital Danielle and her partner, Tony, (pictured) 39, both from Reading, are all smiles with their newborn baby Callum Danielle was suffering with a sore throat but assumed it was a simple cold - that is until she was handed a shock diagnosis of laryngeal cancer She and her partner, Tony, 39, hadn't been actively trying for a baby and although overjoyed, there was a lot of uncertainty. A few months later they would find out why. Danielle was stunned when she learned the cancer had returned just six months into her pregnancy. But this time around she feared not for herself, but for the future of her unborn baby. 'I wasn't worried about myself anymore, but I was petrified about the safety of my baby' she said. 'I cried when I heard that it had come back, as it wasn't the news I wanted to hear. I feared it had spread further in my throat, but luckily it had just come back on the left vocal cord again. 'I was very scared that going under anesthetic again would harm my baby and I'd risk never being a mum. Being pregnant made me strong, though, and determined to fight the disease'. Danielle had to make the agonising choice to spare her life or that of her baby's, she chose her future child; risking a '99 per cent' chance of miscarriage in the process (Pictured: Callum as a toddler) The then family-of-three pose together during a day trip outdoors Danielle would go on to have more invasive surgery as well as laser removal, which aimed to remove the cancer permanently. 'Luckily, my baby's heartbeat was strong and once again, I was given the all-clear' she chuffed. The couple welcomed little Callum in 2020, now age four. They focused on being new parents, and vowed to put the trauma behind them as life was finally looking up - or so they thought. In June 2020, Danielle's cancer returned for the third time: 'I was devastated, as I was enjoying being a mum to my miracle baby' she said. 'I kept thinking: "why me? why is life so cruel to me?" I thought I was finally getting my life back on track, but cancer was ruining it. Danielle pictured at her baby shower after being given her first all clear from cancer. It would return two more times Callum, now a proud big brother, poses with his baby sister, Sienna-Rose Danielle has shared her story 'so others who have worrying symptoms will seek advice, get checked and won't leave it until it's too late'. (Pictured: The family-of-four enjoy a recent pumpkin ride) 'My biggest fear was my little boy never hearing his mum's voice and I couldn't look to the future, as I didn't know what it would hold for me'. As doctors feared the cancer would keep returning, a difficult decision to remove her vocal cord was made. Danielle faced the risk of never being able to speak again, but luckily, her voice returned within hours. Now she's been officially cancer-free for three years and has since run the Race For Life for Cancer Research UK, as well as welcomed her second child; Sienna-Rose, one. The mother-of-two added: 'I'm sharing my story so others who have worrying symptoms will seek advice, get checked and won't leave it until it's too late. 'Cancer kills, you lose loved ones like I have and I'm very lucky to be a survivor. 'I'm grateful for life and extremely happy to have two beautiful and healthy children'. Influencers are known for their expensive lifestyles and lavish holidays - but now social media scrollers are flocking in their droves to people who show off the mundane as well. So-called 'bore-fluencers' are enjoying a meteoric rise on social media as they rake in fortunes filming mundane tasks. Three of the UK's most successful 'bore-fluencers' joined Alison Hammond and Joel Dommett on the This Morning sofa to talk about their successful platforms and revealed how they make money from the unconventional content. Samuel Wolfenden, who is a West Yorkshire Farrier, films himself cleaning, trimming, and shoeing horses' hooves and has gained 780,000 followers on Instagram and 388,000 subscribers on YouTube. Meanwhile Yves Way, from Surrey, managed to turn his pressure washing business into a social media phenomenon, while Rhia Fay earns a six-figure salary from opening and playing with children's toys online. Three of the UK's most successful 'bore-fluencers', Samuel Wolfenden (left), Yves Way (centre) and Rhia Fay (right) joined Alison Hammond and Joel Dommett to talk about their successful platforms and revealed how they make money from the unconventional content on This Morning on Monday Speaking to the presenters, Samuel said: 'My job is to maintain the health of horses hooves... it's a four-year apprenticeship and I have been doing for nearly 16 years.' Samuel started posting videos on his Instagram @swfarriers a year and a half ago to raise awareness of the profession and he was surprised when his clips got such a 'good reception.' He said: 'I really enjoy making the content now and it brings a lot of awareness about the trade, not many knew what a Farrier was, I had friends my whole life that are like I can't believe that is your job.' Yves revealed he started posting videos on his TikTok @stoneagepc initially to promote his pressure washing business but the videos 'took off', he now has over 380,000 followers watching his content. Yves said: 'I used to have a kitchen renovation business during Covid. The logistics became quite difficult, so I needed something else. 'I was walking my kids to school and suddenly I could see driveways that needed cleaning, so I thought I like pressure washing I have done it at home before, I can offer that service. 'The videos took off; we had millions of views and interactions. Currently we make money through sponsorships, so companies that want to work with us and we get paid for the services we provide when we are cleaning as well.' Yves revealed he sometimes can make more money from his Instagram content then the business. Samuel Wolfenden, who is a West Yorkshire Farrier, films himself cleaning, trimming, and shoeing horses' hooves and has gained 780,000 followers on Instagram and 388,000 subscribers on YouTube Yves revealed he started posting videos on his TikTok @stoneagepc initially to promote his pressure washing business but the videos 'took off', he now has over 380,000 followers watching his content Meanwhile Rhia, who has 13.5 million subscribers on her YouTube @rhia.official, unpacks and plays with toys in her popular videos He said: 'You are under the elements of the weather, so if it's pouring with rain and I can't work, I can make a video indoors, and we might be able to make some money that way.' Meanwhile Rhia, who has 13.5 million subscribers on her YouTube @rhia.official, unpacks and plays with toys in her popular videos. The former teaching assistant said: 'I had been posting videos for about a year or two but one day I was at a store, and I saw this egg that you put in water for 24 hours and it would hatch like a surprise. 'I popped it into water and said, 'come back tomorrow' and it got millions and millions of views, everyone was commenting 'roll on tomorrow', 'can't wait for tomorrow' and then I thought maybe there is something in this in the mystery surprise element. Samuel started posting videos on his Instagram @swfarriers a year and a half ago to raise awareness of the profession and he was surprised when his clips got such a 'good reception' Rhia claimed it was people's 'curiosity' that draws them to her videos and there is an ASMR element which relaxes viewers Yves, (centre) from Surrey, managed to turn his pressure washing business into a social media phenomenon, while Rhia (right) earns a six-figure salary from opening and playing with children's toys online 'Then people started sending in requests asking me to unbox things and it just took off.' Rhia claimed it was people's 'curiosity' that draws them to her videos, plus an ASMR element which helps to relax her viewers. She revealed that she makes her money from sponsorships, brand deals and advertising. She added: 'When I first joined, I never knew I could make an income from it, I don't know whether I was naive, but I just wanted to be creative, and it all took off. If you have been affected by the details in this article, you can visit the Rape Crisis website or call the hotline on 0808 500 2222 Patricia Donovan, from Limerick and now in her 60s, speaks in a documentary Bishop Eamonn Casey's niece has spoken out for the first time about how she was repeatedly raped by her paedophile uncle from the age of five. Patricia Donovan, now in her 60s, will speak in an RTE and Irish Mail documentary this evening, where she will document the horrific sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of the late bishop, who died in 2017. She describes the 'horror' of the 'violence' he inflicted upon her during his decade-long campaign of abuse in Bishop Casey's Buried Secrets, which investigates the numerous allegations against him during his time in the Catholic Church. Patricia, from Limerick, recalls: 'He had no fear of being caught. He thought he could do what he liked, when he liked, how he liked. 'He was almost, like, incensed that I would dare fight against him, that I would dare try and hurt him, I would dare try and stop him. It didn't make any difference.' Patricia Donovan, now in her 60s, has spoken for the first time about her ordeal at the hands of her uncle Bishop Eamonn Casey who raped her from the age of five for a decade Patricia reported her claims of sexual abuse in 2005, but Casey, who was forced to resign as bishop of Galway in 1992 when his affair with a distant American cousin came to light, was never charged with or convicted of any sexual offence. Her story is one of many new accounts of abuse by Casey which come to light in the documentary - including another accusation of sexually abusing a child in the 1980s when he was Bishop of Galway - plus allegations of multiple sexual relations with women during the 1960s. A total of eight allegations of child and adult sexual assault were made against Casey during his lifetime. The five accusations of child sexual abuse were made across every Irish diocese where Casey served; Limerick, Galway and Kerry. Allegations of abuse against Eamonn Casey span across every Irish diocese he worked for; Limerick, Galway and Kerry In 2021, Galway Diocese admitted it had knowledge of all five allegations of child sexual abuse against Casey on file. This is despite issuing a previous statement to the Irish Mail in 2019 claiming it had record of just one allegation. When Casey died in March 2017, Galway Diocese made the decision to inter him in the Bishops' Crypt inside Galway Cathedral. Speaking in the documentary Ian Elliott, the former head of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church, said he found Patricia's complaint 'entirely credible' when he was first made aware of it. Elliott added Casey was 'an offender, a sexual predator. 'The fact of the matter is that individuals have come forward and spoken about numerous sexual activities, some consensual, others not. Many involved very young people. 'That is wrong and there is no justification for that, and it should have been stopped. Those that have been distressed and hurt should be helped and supported by the church. That is a major priority.' Casey (pictured in 2005) died in 2017 and was interred in Galway Cathedral's Bishops' Crypt - after allegations had been made against him The documentary also reveals that the first ever complaint of sexual abuse against Casey, originally made to Limerick Diocese, went 'missing' when it was transferred to the Diocese of Arundel in Brighton in England in 2001 - at which Casey was then active. The complaint was also passed on to the Vatican. The receipt of that complaint and the potential child safeguarding risks that it posed should have seen him suspended from his ministry in England, pending further investigation. The complaint should also have been reported to the police in the UK. However, neither of those actions were taken and Fr Casey, as he was then known, remained active in ministry in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton for another four years. A spokeswoman for the Diocese Arundel & Brighton said: Recent communications with RTE and the Diocese of Limerick have established that a member of our Diocese was informed of a safeguarding allegation concerning Bishop Eamonn Casey in 2001, four years earlier than we had previously believed. Had this allegation been made today the police would have been informed immediately. We are deeply disappointed that this course of action does not appear to have been taken in 2001.' After being alerted to this earlier allegation by RTE, the diocese said they were committed to undertaking an internal investigation into why no record of this complaint was on their files. We have undertaken a very thorough search of diocesan records. Regrettably, given the passage of time, we have been unable to locate relevant written records or to speak to anyone able to shed light on Limerick Dioceses communication in 2001, they added. Casey's initial move to the UK came after Church leaders in Ireland were reluctant to accept him into any parish following six years he had spent in Ecuador in various missions. He moved to Ecuador after a dramatic revelation in 1992 that he had fathered a son with a distant American cousin, Annie Murphy; which meant he was forced to resign from the Diocese of Galway. By 2001, when he should have been suspended, Fr Casey, as he was then known, had ministry in the village of Staplefield, in the parish of St Paul's, Hayward Heath, from 1998 until 2005, under the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton. In Staplefield, he was a curate in an arch-parish, covering three churches, and was also chaplain to a hospital of 320 beds. Dr Casey was only suspended from ministry when his niece Ms Donovan came forward and reported him to UK police and gardai [Irish police] in 2005 for alleged sexual abuse. The first known child sexual abuse allegation against Bishop Casey was made in 2001 by another party. That woman, who had also moved later to live in London, claimed that she had been sexually abused on two occasions by Fr Casey during his time as a chaplain to St Josephs Reformatory School in Limerick in 1956. She later took High Court proceedings against Bishop Casey for personal injury damages, alleging that he had committed sexual assaults on her when she was aged 15 in Limerick. Eventually, she was awarded a settlement through the Residential Institutions Redress Board. The Vatican has now confirmed that it banned Bishop Casey from ministry before 2006 and that his ban was reiterated to him formally in 2007 after they received multiple child sex abuse complaints against him, including the 2001 complaint and that made by his niece Ms Donovan in 2005. A spokesman for Limerick Diocese confirmed: In 2001, Limerick Diocese received the first complaint in relation to Bishop Casey. The spokesman confirmed that the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton was informed by them of this complaint on June 7th 2001, and that the Papal Nuncio, responsible for communicating these matters to Rome, and the gardai were also informed. The spokeswoman for the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton said that when complaint by Ms Donovan, Bishop Casey's niece, was received in 2005 swift action was then taken by their diocese. As a direct result of that allegation nationally agreed safeguarding protocols were implemented with support offered to the person involved. The allegation was reported to statutory agencies with Bishop Casey immediately removed from public ministry, they said. The Diocese of Arundel & Brighton said they received no other child safeguarding concerns in relation to Fr Casey during his time there. The Archdiocese of Southwark and the Diocese of Westminster have refused to comment, when asked by RTE, if they have received any allegations against Bishop Casey relating to his time in London as a priest in the 1960s. Fr Casey was appointed to the Irish Emigrant Chaplaincy Service in England in 1960 and held this position until 1969. He was appointed chaplain to St Ethelberts parish in Berkshire in 1960 and became the first chairman of Shelter, the UK housing charity. In 1963, he began working with the Catholic Housing Aid Society, at the invitation of Cardinal Heenan, then Archbishop of Westminster. His niece Ms Donovan reported her allegations in 2005 to the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton, and to UK police, while Irish detectives also travelled over to the UK to interview her. The Irish Director of Public Prosecutions later directed in August 2006 that no charges be brought against her uncle. She has never received compensation from the Church but the Galway Diocese did pay for counselling for her. Sarah Ferguson triumphed in the style stakes on Monday evening as she attended a charity gala dinner in Cannes on the French Riviera. The Duchess of York, 64, looked magnificent in a figure-hugging, monochrome gown complete with black opera gloves. Topped with a white cape which covered the royal's shoulders, the satin column dress was a perfect play on the theme of 'Grace Kelly and Cary Grant', which was chosen for this year's 'Knights of Charity Gala' dinner. The elegant mother of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie completed the old Hollywood glamour look with a dainty handbag and a pair of beautiful pearl earrings. With her auburn hair in loose curls and brushed to one side, she looked every inch the Hollywood star. Sarah Ferguson (pictured), 64, embraced old Hollywood glamour for a charity gala dinner in Cannes on Monday evening Sarah let her outfit speak for itself and opted for simple make-up for the occasion - black eyeliner and a slick of pale pink lipstick. The Duchess was pictured with film producer Milutin Gatsby, who looked dapper in an evening suit complete with bowtie. The 'Knights of Charity Gala' dinner was held at the Chateau de la Croix des Gardes, also known as Villa Perrier, and tables of 12 were reportedly priced at 120.000,00. The Mail on Sunday revealed this weekend that Sarah - who has used writing as 'an escape' after two cancer diagnoses - has dedicated her new book to her four grandchildren. She is now looking to the future after she was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer and underwent a mastectomy. Six months later, she was found to have skin cancer. Although doctors have advised that she should not use the phrase 'cancer-free', the outlook is positive and the Duchess is no longer undergoing treatment. Now she has written a new children's book, titled 'Flora and Fern: Wonder in the Woods', due to be published in October. The Duchess of York wore a beautiful monochrome gown complete with a white cape and opera gloves The Duchess told the Mail on Sunday: 'I wrote Flora and Fern for my grandchildren and also my step grandson Wolfie. It is a special little story encouraging children to enjoy and respect nature and use their imagination to play. 'The names Flora and Fern are chosen to encourage more understanding of how important nature is.' She combined her roles as author and grandmother in the writing process, testing out storylines on her four grandchildren: Princess Eugenie's son August, three, and younger son Ernest, one, along with Princess Beatrice's stepson Wolfie, eight, and daughter Sienna, two. A friend added: 'Writing and being in nature are her twin escapes. Both have helped her through the difficult times of the last year as she's had to deal with two cancer diagnoses. 'She tries all her stories out on her grandchildren and she's determined to create a little library for them to enjoy.' The Duchess, who divorced the Duke of York in 1996, has recently been welcomed back into the Royal fold after bonding with King Charles over their cancer diagnoses. This week she pulled out of headlining an Australian literary festival in October so as not to 'distract or detract' from the King and Queen's state visit. Most of us would be happy to lose a few pounds, with seemingly no effort on our part. But, losing weight without cutting down calories or working out more in the gym, could be a sign of something sinister. Rapid weight loss can be a symptom of a host of potential serious conditions from diabetes, stress, serious illnesses and even cancer. In fact, if you unintentionally lose more than five per cent of your normal body weight, or more than 10lbs (4.5 kg) in less than a year, you should consult your doctor, experts advise. Here, MailOnline explores why you should never ignore this critical health sign. If you unintentionally lose more than 5 per cent of your normal body weight, or more than 10 lbs (4.5 kg) in less than a year, you should consult your doctor An overactive thyroid could be to blame... An overreactive thyroid, medically known as hyperthyroidism, can cause an array of symptoms including mood swings, muscle weakness and persistent thirst. However, an overactive thyroid also causes a spike in the metabolism, which leads to rapid weight loss. This can also increase your appetite, the NHS explains. That's because the thyroid is responsible for producing hormones that help regulate the body's metabolism. These hormones are called triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Medicines called thionamides can be used to stop the thyroid from producing excess hormones, but other treatments including radiotherapy to destroy the cells in the thyroid gland and surgery to remove all or part of your thyroid may be recommended. An overactive thyroid also causes a very good metabolism, which leads to rapid weight loss Rapid weight loss could be Type 1 diabetes... Losing weight despite eating a high number of calories could also be a symptom of diabetes. That's because insufficient insulin prevents the body from getting glucose from blood to body cells to use as energy. This causes the body to burn fat and muscle as energy instead which can trigger rapid weight loss. 'Rapid weight loss can be a symptom of type 1 diabetes because one of insulins main jobs is to move sugar from the blood into the cells where it can be used for energy or stored for use later,' Esther Walden, senior clinical advisor at Diabetes UK, told MailOnline. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes: - Type 1, where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. - Type 2, where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin. Type 2 diabetes is far more common than Type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have Type 2. Reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes can be achieved through healthy eating, regular exercise and achieving a healthy body weight. The main symptoms of diabetes include: feeling very thirsty, urinating more frequently (particularly at night), feeling very tired, weight loss, and loss of muscle bulk. Source: NHS Advertisement 'When there is no insulin the cells become starved of energy, the body works harder to try to get rid of the excess sugar in the blood, and the excess sugar cant be stored in the fat cells,' she explained. 'Additionally, when there is no insulin, the body starts to break down fat to produce a form of energy the body can use,' she said. This weight loss can happen quite quickly in the lead-up to a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, she warns. It's a symptoms of Inflammatory bowel disease... Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are both types of inflammatory bowel disease, which cause tummy pain and diarrhoea. The conditions also cause bleeding from your bottom, blood or mucus in your poo, constant tiredness and unintentional weight loss. Although it is not clear what causes the conditions, which affect about 10million people globally, the NHS says it happens when your immune system attacks your bowel, which causes it to get inflamed. It's this inflammation in the gut which stops your body from fully absorbing nutrients from the food you eat, as a result leading to weight loss and malnutrition, according to Crohn's & Colitis UK. It happens in 80 per cent of people with certain cancers and other serious health condition... A loss of appetite and unintentionally losing a significant amount of weight is a symptom which hits 80 per cent of people with upper gastrointestinal cancer, such as stomach cancer or liver cancer. 'Sudden and unplanned weight loss can happen when you are going through stressful events in your life, or it can be linked to other underlying health conditions,' Cancer Research UKs health information manager, Maxine Lenza told this website. 'Unexplained weight loss can also be a symptom of several types of cancer, including lung, bowel, and pancreatic cancer,' she added. Cachexia, also known as wasting syndrome, is a potential cancer symptom and causes extreme loss of muscle and fat, according to Cancer Research UK. People with early-stage cancers dont usually get cachexia. But up to four in five of people with advanced cancer develop some degree of cachexia, the charity explained. But cachexia isn't just a symptom of cancer. This particular cause of rapid weight loss in cancer can also happen with HIV, kidney disease and heart disease. In cancer, it's thought to be driven by inflammation. That's because inflammation can promote muscle wastage and a tumour can take energy away from the rest of the body. Cachexia also known as wasting syndrome causes extreme loss of muscle and fat, according to Cancer Research UK Inflammation has also been linked to muscle loss because it causes protein to be broken down faster than it is being made. That's because cancer can damage the mitochondria, the part of the cell responsible for converting nutrients into energy. But catching these cancer symptoms early could make a big difference. 'If you notice any unusual changes like losing a noticeable amount of weight without trying to, its important to speak to your doctor. In most cases it wont be cancer, but if it is, finding it early can make a real difference,' Ms Lenza said. Stress and mental health could be a trigger... Unintentional weight loss isn't just a warning sign of a serious physical illness. Going through a stressful event like losing a loved one, a divorce, breakup or losing a job can all contribute to weight loss, the NHS explains. That's because in some cases stress can cause a loss of appetite, indigestion, or repetitive nervous movements. When you are stressed over an extended period it can cause stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, to build up in your body which can have a variety of physical effects from disrupted sleep to a suppressed appetite. Adrenaline, the 'fight or flight' hormone, usually gives us a boost to motivate us. But too much of it can affect our mood and even our bowels causing stomach cramps and constipation, the NHS warns. Going through a stressful event like losing a loved one, a divorce, breakup or losing a job can all contribute to weight loss, the NHS explains This can make us not want to eat, and as a result, cause weight loss. Weight loss can also be due to nervous fidgeting and foot tapping which if done constantly can burn extra calories. Stress isn't the only mental condition that that can cause rapid weight loss, depression, anxiety and eating disorders can also be a reason for someone losing a significant amount of weight. For example, the main symptom of anorexia is deliberately losing weight or keeping your body weight much lower than is healthy for your age and height. Losing control of how much you eat and then taking drastic action to not put the weight on, is also a sign of bulimia. It's estimated that 1.25million people in the UK have an eating disorder, according to charity Beat. Signs to watch out for include if someone is worrying about their weight or body shape, avoiding social occasions where food is involved, exercising too much and having strict habit around food. Kamala Harris's rambling 'word salad' speeches may be a symptom of a little-known but common psychological condition called logorrhoea also known as verbal diarrhoea. The US Vice President, who was endorsed by Joe Biden after he bowed out of the presidential race on Sunday, is known for her jumbled, sometimes incoherent speaking style. Some of her most infamous speeches have included ones about the 'significance of the passage of time' and the 'need to get to go and need to be able to get where you need to go'. A baffling anecdote about falling out of a coconut tree has also been a rich resource for internet meme-makers, and a study that analysed Ms Harris's speech during a vice presidential debate concluded that 'social factors' were the most likely cause of her 'word salad' rambling. Ratu Annisa of the University of North Sumatra said: 'The causes of the speech errors made by Kamala Harris are social factors, both situational anxiety and social circumstances.' Kamala Harris has become known for her occasionally nonsensical speeches Republican strategist Matt Whitlock has previously accused Ms Harris of being unable to speaking 'normally' A 2009 study of the condition in Spain found the risk of logorrhoea was linked to level of schooling. Those with lower educational achievement were more likely to 'speak in circles'. It can be a symptom of anxiety or over-confidence, but logorrhoea can be no laughing matter and may indicate a brain injury, autism or serious condition, although there is no indication that Ms Harris suffers from these conditions. Logorrhoea is also associated with laughing wildly at random moments, something Ms Harris has become known for, with Donald Trump even nicknaming her 'Laughin' Kamala'. American behavioural specialist Gregg Levoy wrote in a blog on Psychology Today that for people who ramble on and on, speech can become 'a barrier rather than a connector'. He wrote: 'It's easy to dismiss them as merely narcissistic, but this is immensely hard to undo and not necessarily their fault. 'It's a holdover from that original egocentric stage around one or two years old, when children naturally feel grandiose and at the centre of the universe.' But logorrhoea is also a common frontal lobe deficit that many traumatic brain injury survivors suffer, and is linked to several serious psychiatric and neurological disorders. These include schizophrenia, lesions on the brain, damage to areas of the brain that deal with language, and ADHD. A Washington bar started offering $5 'Pina Kamala' coconut shots all night after Joe Biden stood down from the presidential race on Sunday Hawaii senator Brian Schatz posted a picture of himself climbing a coconut tree, a reference to Ms Harris's infamous anecdote about something she claimed her mother used to say People with autism may also display logorrhoea, defined as uncontrollable or jumbled talking, due to an inability to organise their thoughts or read social cues from other people. Ms Harris became tongue-tied during a speech about 'expanding access to transportation' at the White House in July 2022. She said: 'You need to get to go, and you to be able to get where you need to go, to do the work and get home.' The same year, she made a widely-mocked speech about high-speed internet in Louisiana, saying: 'The Governor and I and we were all doing a tour of the library here and talking about the significance of the passage of time. 'The significance of the passage of time. 'So, when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time in terms of what we need to do to lay these wires, what we need to do to create these jobs. 'And there is such great significance to the passage of time when we think about a day in the life of our children.' Ms Harris's preoccupation with time raised its head again last April at a political event on reproductive rights. She told attendees: 'I think it's very important...for us at every moment in time and certainly this one, to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present, and to be able to contextualise it, to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past but the future.' Last March, she asserted that, during Women's History Month, 'we celebrate and we honour the women who made history throughout history, who saw what could be unburdened by what had been.' On at least two occasions, she has spoken of her baffling love for Venn diagrams, a simplistic illustration that uses overlapping circles to show the relationship between two or more sets of items. She said last year: 'I just love Venn diagrams. I really do, I love Venn diagrams. Theres just something about those three circles and the analysis of that, where theres the intersection, right?' And last year, she uttered her most famous meaningless statement at a swearing-in ceremony at the White House. 'My mother used to she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, I dont know whats wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? she said, laughing. 'You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.' On Sunday night, after 81-year-old Biden announced that he was stepping down from the presidential race and endorsing Ms Harris, the coconut tree comment went viral online. A Washington bar started offering $5 'Pina Kamala' coconut shots all night. And Hawaii senator Brian Schatz posted a picture of himself climbing a coconut tree with the words: 'Madam Vice President, we are ready to help.' Republican strategist Matt Whitlock has previously accused Ms Harris of being unable to speaking 'normally'. He posted: 'Its pretty striking that she is simply incapable of speaking normally. Is she actually smoking weed before grabbing the mic? It would explain so much.' And Laura Ingram, from Fox News, said: 'While Joe is slipping into dementia, Kamala is slipping into a different dimension.' A teenage boy in India has died from an incurable brain virus that experts fear could spark the next pandemic. The 14-year-old school-child was diagnosed with Nipah virus in the country's southern state of Kerala, and died after suffering from a cardiac arrest. Officials are now monitoring 214 people, 60 of whom are thought to be at high risk of an infection with the virus. Nipah virus is part of the paramyxovirus family which also includes measles and mumps. Experts fear it could be 'simmering in the background' before triggering the next global outbreak. Three in four people who catch the virus die from it, data shows far higher than Covid's current fatality rate of less than one percent. There is also no vaccine or treatment for the disease. It comes after another outbreak in the state in September, which was the largest known globally to date with 30 people infected. One of the viruses, the Nipah virus, can infect cells with receptors that regulate what gets in or out of cells that line the central nervous system and vital organs. This variant has a fatality rate of up to 75 percent compared to Covid's, which is well under one percent Doctors have sought to play down concerns in Kerala, saying there is a 'minimum chance' of an outbreak at this stage. Close contacts will be monitored for the next three to seven days, the average time taken for an infection to occur. Patients catch the virus via contact with feces, blood or saliva from an infected person. It can also be spread via respiratory droplets from patients. Confirming the death, the state health minister Veena George told TV reporters: 'The infected boy died on Sunday after a cardiac arrest.' It was not clear at this stage how the boy became infected, or how long it took for him to die from the virus. But people normally contract it from touching the excrement of pigs, with the animals becoming infected after consuming food or water contaminated with the droppings of fruit bats. People can also catch the disease from contaminated fruit. Patients suffer from a fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing in the infection as the virus infects the airways. Scientists note that unlike the flu and Covid-19 are 'speedy shape-shifters,' paramyxoviruses appear not to mutate as they spread, but they have become 'very good at transmission among humans It can then spread to the blood and travel to the brain, where an infection causes encephalitis, or brain swelling, that leads to death. It can also spread to the lungs and trigger severe pneumonia, which can also prove fatal. Warning over the disease's pandemic potential, it was added to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' list of pandemic pathogens to watch in October. It also inspired the 2011 film Contagion, which tracks the emergence of a new pandemic virus. Starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet, a woman returns home from a business trip in Hong Kong and brings back a lethal microbe that triggered a global pandemic - the disease was the Nipah virus. 'Just imagine if a paramyxovirus emerged that was as contagious as measles and as deadly as Nipah,' Michael Norris, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Toronto, said in a statement. 'Influenza has been sequenced to death,' Benhur Lee, a virologist at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine, told The Atlantic. Lee continued to explain that this is not the case for paramyxoviruses because most people infected with one of the more than 75 viruses do not survive, making it nearly impossible to develop treatments and vaccines. Toxic fumes from burning nonstick pans sent a record number of Americans to the hospital in 2023. Data shows that in 2023, over 250 patients were admitted with the little-known condition dubbed 'Teflon-flu', which causes fever, body aches and chills. Cases likely haven't been this high since 2000, according to researchers at America's Poison Centers, who said the condition is rarely diagnosed because it's so hard to tell apart from other, more common illnesses. When used properly, these pans are harmless, but many consumers are unsure about how to actually treat nonstick pans, leading to concern about their safety Julie Weber, the director of the Missouri Poison Center, cautioned. Teflon flu can cause headache, body aches, fever, chills and shivers, officials say. Sometimes, symptoms develop immediately, other times, it takes hours Teflon flu occurs when an individual breathes in fumes from a nonstick pan made with PTFE burns 'A lot of this comes down to a person really not cutting corners, following directions and using things properly,' Ms Weber told The Washington Post. There have only been 3,600 cases of suspected cases of polymer fume fever in the past couple decades. 2023 saw the biggest number of cases in decades, and researchers are unsure why - highlighting a need to raise awareness about how best to use these pots and pans. The global market for nonstick pans was valued at $1.7billion dollars in 2017 up from $1.3billion dollars in 2010. This suggests that more people could be buying the pans as time goes on. Polymer fume fever happens when nonstick cookware is heated more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius)- causing the chemicals in the coating to break down and be released in clouds of smoke, that when inhaled, cause coughing, body aches, fever and chills. The nonstick coating is made from 'forever chemicals', of PFAS, which burrow deep inside the body where they cannot be broken down. Since the condition is rare, scientists don't know exactly how it works, but it could be that the irritation the chemicals cause in the lungs leads to the flu-like symptoms. PFAS have also been linked to health conditions like cancer, infertility and pregnancy complications. Sometimes, symptoms of 'Teflon flu' develop immediately after someone inhales these particles, but other times, it takes hours for symptoms to develop. This makes the condition difficult to report. 'This is why they tell you: Dont heat your Teflon pan to a high temperature,' Zac Hudson, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of British Columbia told The Washington Post. Teflon is a brand name for a specific kind of nonstick coating. It's the most widely known brand, but many other kinds of nonstick pans that don't contain have the same problem. These are all made from a chemical called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is one of many kinds of PFAS. Coming into contact with a little bit of these chemicals one time isn't going to harm you. But using products with PFAS every day for years can cause the chemicals to build up in your system. PFAS have also been found in some area's water supply, cleaning products and food packaging, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. The amount of PFAS someone is exposed to from nonstick pans is probably less than the amount they're exposed to form other sources, Dan Jones, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and the associate director of the Center for PFAS Research at Michigan State University said. 'Most of us who work in the field would say its probably a very tiny fraction,' he told The Washington Post. Experts recommend always heating your nonstick pans with butter, oil or water in it so as to avoid overheating it and breaking down the chemicals within the coating When used properly, manufacturers and scientists both say these pans are safe. But it's easy for people to use them incorrectly - so much so that six of the scientists who spoke to The Washington Post said they avoid using them entirely. Improper use includes exposing the pans to temperatures higher than 500 degrees F, scratching the surface with metal utensils and using them in the oven or dishwasher. When you overheat the pan, it causes the chemicals in the coating to break down, releasing the chemicals into the air in a white smoke. Scratching the pan can also cause little bits of PTFE to start flaking off - getting into your food. However, Ian Cousins, an environmental chemist and professor at Stockholm University, told The Washington Post, that eating these flakes probably isn't dangerous. The PTFE chemicals are large and chemically difficult for our body to break down - which means they most likely pass through your system without effecting it, Professor Cousins explained. 'I wouldnt be concerned about that, actually. Its just going to go straight through your body,' he said. He cautioned that inhaling the fumes should still be avoided at all costs. In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration said nonstick cookware does not 'presents a safety concern for consumers.' One of the easiest ways to avoid overheating your cookware and generating this gas is to make sure you add butter or oil to your pan before you heat it, Lisa McManus, the executive tasting and testing editor at America's Test Kitchen, told CNET. Ms McManus said u sing a fat on the pan 'can create invisible buildup on the pan's surface and form a barrier between your food and the nonstick surface when it's heated directly.' If you want to avoid nonstick all together, Ms McManus recommended a ceramic, stainless steel or cast iron pan instead. A test that can predict your risk of getting more than 60 different diseases from a single drop of blood may be a step closer, experts believe. Researchers say they are 'extremely excited' about findings which indicate that thousands of proteins in a drop of blood can onset of many different conditions. The study, published in Nature Medicine, opens up new possibilities for predicting a wide range of diseases, including rare conditions which can take months and years to diagnose. Professor Claudia Langenberg, of Queen Mary University in London, said: 'Measuring one protein for a specific reason, such as troponin to diagnose a heart attack, is standard clinical practice. Researchers say they are 'extremely excited' about findings which indicate that thousands of proteins in a drop of blood can onset of many different conditions The test is reminiscent of the one offered by Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. She claimed to have developed a device that could perform more than 240 tests, from cholesterol levels to complex genetic analysis, with just a single pinprick of blood 'We are extremely excited about the opportunity to identify new markers for screening and diagnosis from the thousands of proteins circulating and now measurable in human blood.' In the study, scientists used advanced techniques to pinpoint a signature of between five and 20 of the most important proteins found in blood plasma for the prediction of 67 different diseases. They studied data from more than 40,000 randomly selected people from the UK. According to the findings, protein signatures can predict the onset of 67 diseases, including blood and bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, motor neurone disease and dilated cardiomyopathy a heart muscle disease. The researchers said that protemic studies, or analysis of proteins, could help identify risk factors for even more diseases. Dr Julia Carrasco Zanini Sanchez said: 'We are extremely excited about the opportunities that our protein signatures may have for earlier detection and ultimately improved prognosis for many diseases, including severe conditions. 'We identified so many promising examples, the next step is to select high priority diseases and evaluate their proteomic prediction in a clinical setting.' The researchers found that models based on protein prediction were better than models based on clinically recorded information. Prediction based on blood cell counts, cholesterol, kidney function and diabetes tests did not perform as well as the protein prediction models for most examples, the researchers found. The test is reminiscent of the one offered by Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. She claimed to have developed a device that could perform more than 240 tests, from cholesterol levels to complex genetic analysis, with just a single pinprick of blood. This was later found to not be true. Holmes, 40, was sent to prison in May 2023 for defrauding investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. She is expected to be release in 2032. A woman died of ME after her GP warned she had never seen anyone so poorly treated by the NHS, an inquest has heard. Maeve Boothby O'Neill, 27, was left bedridden and hardly able to move in the final months of her life due to the severity of her myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Her family believe her death in October 2021 exposed a major systemic failing of the health service to both understand and treat severe cases of the condition. The first day of an inquest into her death was yesterday (MON) shown a letter Ms Boothby ONeill sent to her GP, Dr Lucy Shenton, begging her to help me get enough food to live. It said: I know you are doing your best for me but I really need help with feeding. I don't understand why the hospital didn't do anything to help me when I went in. I am hungry. I want to eat. Maeve Boothby O'Neill, 27, was left bedridden and hardly able to move in the final months of her life due to the severity of her myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) I have been unable to sit up or chew since March. The only person helping me eat is my Mum. I cannot get enough calories through a syringe. Please help me get enough food to live. It was sent around four months before Ms Boothby ONeill died, the inquest in Exeter, Devon, was told. Dr Shenton was left devastated by her death and only felt able to provide evidence to the court in written form, the inquest heard. Ms Boothby O'Neill saw her GP and a mental health practitioner just four weeks before she died in September 2021, telling them she did not want to die, but there was no treatment for ME and she did not want to prolong the agony. Her GP said she was 'switched on and thinking clearly' despite her malnutrition, insisting she did not want any more hospital admissions and wanted to save her energy for her family. Dr Shenton summarised the position and wrote: Maeve wishes to live but there is no further treatment for ME. Maeve died at home in Exeter at 3am on October 3rd 2021. Ms Boothby ONeills father, journalist Sean ONeill, said that Dr Shenton had told the family she had 'never seen anyone so poorly treated by the NHS as Maeve was'. Her mother Sarah Boothby claimed during an earlier hearing that medical staff were well intentioned at the hospital she sought treatment, but they could not see what was going on in front of them. Ms Boothby ONeill was admitted three times to the Royal Devon & Exeter (RD&E) hospital in six months, but was said to have refused a fourth admission because she felt there was no prospect of treatment or cure for her condition. Ahead of the inquest, Mr ONeill said he expected questions to be raised about an alleged delay in providing his daughter with palliative care, apparently because someone, somewhere in the bureaucracy that developed around her did not believe her illness was real. Anthony Hemsley, the medical director of the RD&E, said in written evidence disclosed at a pre-inquest review hearing: There is a lack of a commissioned specialist service for severe/very severe ME/CFS both locally, regionally and nationally. Mr ONeill said at the time: Imagine that this was a different illness. Imagine a hospital saying that it was not commissioned and therefore not resourced to provide inpatient treatment to those with severe cancer, those with severe heart conditions, those with another severe disease. It is difficult to conceive. At the start of yesterdays hearing, Ms Boothby said her daughter was an 'exceptional child' who loved learning languages and wanted to travel overseas. Mr O'Neill said Maeve was 'academically gifted' and whose death has been hard for his two other children to understand as she made 'beautiful and unique presents' for them which included designing and knitting Hogwart sweaters for her siblings. Dr Paul McDermott, a partner at Maeve's GP practice in Exeter, told the inquest that her case was 'complex'. He said that ME and chronic fatigue syndrome are two terms that go hand in hand but he said he was not an expert. He visited her at home and said 'nothing jumped out' but said it was 'obviously not normal' and said: It was a worrying picture. The inquest, due to last two weeks, continues. Secret Service failures that may have allowed the assassination attempt on Donald Trump were called out by a congressional watchdog nine years ago. Now that watchdog is calling for the resignation of the agencys chief, Kimberly Cheatle, on the day she is giving testimony to Congress. In 2015 the House Oversight Committee published a 200-page damning report on the United States Secret Service (USSS) that described an agency in crisis with systemic mismanagement, chronic underfunding, an extraordinarily inefficient hiring process and many employees [who] do not have confidence in agency leadership. Report author and former top Oversight staffer Tristan Leavitt, who now runs a whistleblower organization, told DailyMail.com that the Trump shooting showed those same problems persist today. Almost a decade later, it looks like the Secret Service is suffering from some of the exact same problems it did 10 years ago, said Leavitt, president of Empower Oversight. Whether Director Cheatle resigns or is removed, she should be replaced with a director from outside the agency who can clean shop from top to bottom. The House Oversight Committee is calling for the agencys chief Kimberly Cheatle to stand down following the attempted assassination on former president Donald Trump Trump was hit in the ear by a bullet while giving a speech at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, last weekend Leavitt pointed to reports that critical security at last weekend's Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was left to potentially inexperienced or under-trained counter-sniper teams from local police rather than crack Secret Service units, as well as evidence of likely poor communication between local police and USSS. Leavitts 2015 report highlighted previous stunning failures in presidential security, including officials in 2014 allowing then-POTUS Barack Obama in an elevator with an armed guard with a criminal history of three arrests including shooting at a fleeing vehicle with a child inside. The man also later slipped between agents and got inside Obamas security formation. The report detailed a March 2015 incident where two intoxicated senior USSS officialsincluding a top official on the Presidents protective detailinterfered with a crime scene involving a bomb threat just outside the White House grounds. As bad as those and other details were, they were just symptoms of a much larger breakdown in the USSS, Leavitt said. Clearly their leadership hasnt learned its lessons, and a massive overhaul is still needed. While staying in Cartagena, Colombia, for a presidential visit in April 2012, 13 agents took prostitutes back to their hotel rooms. After the scandal was revealed that month, four agents were fired, five resigned and one retired. In September 2014 a veteran with PTSD carrying a knife jumped the White House fence and entered the buildings front door. Omar Gonzalez was overpowered by security after her burst through the front door of the White House and got as far the executive mansion's East Room. An investigation found outer perimeter security failed to communicate effectively with agents inside, and then-Secret Service director Julia Pierson resigned the following month. Omar Gonzalez was overpowered by security after he burst through the front door of the White House and got as far the executive mansion's East Room in 2014 Leavitt pointed to reports that security at Trumps rally on Saturday was left to potentially inexperienced or under-trained counter-sniper teams from local police rather than crack USSS units Leavitts 2015 report, written after a yearlong investigation, said it was abundantly clear that USSS is in crisis. As USSSs mission has grown, its workforce has had to do more with less. USSS is experiencing a staffing crisis that poses perhaps the greatest threat to the agency, the report said. It blamed in part an extraordinarily inefficient hiring process which overburdens the Secret Service with low-quality applicants and said personnel who remain are significantly overworked, and morale is at an all-time low, as many employees do not have confidence in agency leadership. It advised dropping the Secret Services other duties including cyber and financial crime probes to focus on protection of top politicians. We were told in 2015 that internal recommendations from the 1990s hadnt even been fully implemented due to willful USSS blindness, Leavitt said in a post on social media site X. Fundamentally, the Secret Service likely needs to be restructured. Mission creep has added collateral missions like cyber investigations and other nonessential duties that distract from its #1 job: keeping current, former, and future leaders of the free world safe from harm. On Sunday the Washington Post reported messages between former USSS officers, with one asking How the f*** did he get a gun that close and the other replying resources. A source briefed on the security planning for the Butler Farm Trump rally told DailyMail.com that whereas USSS would normally have three or four counter-sniper teams for such an event, they only had two, and were relying on local law enforcement due to staffing shortages. Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who opened fire on former President Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13 Cheatle's claims were heavily criticized as it was spotted that the snipers who were located on the left building had set up on a slanted roof too, behind Trump's podium, while Crooks was located on the right In an interview with ABC News, USSS director Cheatle gave a baffling explanation for her agencys failure to cover the building the would-be assassin climbed. That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point. And so, you know, there's a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn't want to put somebody up on a sloped roof, she said. And so, you know, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside. Other reporting suggests there may have been a failure in communication between local police and the Service. Local station WPXI reported that gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, was spotted and photographed by snipers 30 minutes before he fired, according to law enforcement sources, and that they sent the pictures to Beaver County Emergency Services Unit control center. It is unclear whether the center passed that information to USSS agents at the site. Videos shared on social media show attendees at the rally spotting Crooks and calling out for help from police over a minute before the shooting. On Sunday President Joe Biden said he asked USSS to review all security measures for laast week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and to conduct an independent review of the security at Trump's fatal rally. New York Democrat House member Ritchie Torres and Republican colleague Michael Lawler are introducing a bill to give enhanced protection to all presidential candidates including independent Robert F Kennedy Jr. A crocodile expert who raped, tortured and murdered dozens of pet dogs has two mystery supporters who frequently visit him in jail. Adam Britton, 53, pleaded guilty in Darwin's Supreme Court last year to 63 charges relating to animal abuse, bestiality, and for the possession of child exploitation material. The once-respected academic, who was born in the UK and has worked for the BBC and National Geographic, sourced about 42 dogs on Gumtree Australia over a two-year period for the sole purpose of torturing the animals to death on camera. He would contact families who reluctantly gave their dogs up due to work or health issues, and would then send false updates to reassure the former owners their pets were 'happy' and 'doing well'. According to court documents, the pets were usually dead by the time these updates were sent. Most of the dogs he acquired were horrifically abused and murdered within a few days of him gaining ownership. Last week, Britton shed a tear when his psychiatric condition 'paraphelia' - intense sexual fantasies or behaviors that involve inanimate objects, children, or nonconsenting adults - was mentioned in court. A security guard handed him a box of tissues. Most former associates, and his ex-wife Erin who formally dropped his surname just two months after his arrest in 2022, have cut ties with the disgraced zoologist - but it can now be revealed there are a few exceptions. Adam Britton (pictured) is a crocodile expert who pleaded guilty to 63 charges relating to animal abuse, bestiality, and for the possession of child exploitation material Adam Britton (pictured with his wife) was married for about 15 years. She formally dropped his surname two months after he was charged A man and a woman have been known to visit Britton in his cell at Darwin Correctional Centre. Daily Mail Australia understands they have known Britton for a long time and believe he can be rehabilitated. In court last week, his barrister - who asked not to be named due to ongoing abuse and threats from members of the public - said her client was 'no psychopath' and had previously demonstrated an ability to control his urges. Telegram messages from Britton's phone, previously revealed by Daily Mail Australia, show he had 'sadistic' urges from childhood but repressed them until about 2020 when he realised he liked torturing and killing dogs. His barrister said: 'If he's been able to control it in the past, he will be able to control it in the future. 'This is a human being who has been afflicted since very early childhood ... it is not his fault that he had that. 'This particular condition is exceptionally taboo in most societies and the court can, and I hope would, accept that it would have been a very difficult thing to grow up with and learn to manage into adulthood.' She acknowledged that Britton could have sought treatment for his condition, rather than carrying out his fantasies, but he had successfully 'put it in a little box' in the back of his head and tried not to think about it for many years. Adam Britton (centre) with his wife Erin (left) and David Attenborough (right) during filming for a BBC documentary Cold Blood Pictured: A mock-up of a Telegram conversation Britton had with a like-minded user, talking about his sadistic impulses The court also heard Britton had spent almost 30 hours with a psychologist in jail and he had come to feel remorse for his crimes. 'Remorse is considered evidence of rehabilitative prospects, as is insight,' his lawyer said. 'Those are things that may not be present the first time that someone speaks to someone in a professional capacity. 'They are things that often evolve with treatment. They're not fixed in stone.' However, Crown Prosecutor Marty Aust said videos of Britton abusing dogs were of particular concern because they showed the 'entrenched enjoyment' he derived from the act. 'If you watch the footage, you will see the extreme pleasure and enjoyment that this man had in creating this and doing these acts,' he said. 'His sheer delight goes to the core of it. 'It's difficult to read, it's difficult to hear, but to see it really is something other.' He said Britton's routine animal abuse required 'significant planning' and became a 'production, with multiple cameras, tripods, various recording equipment, production values and editing'. Mr Aust called for the maximum penalty, which is two years in jail for each offence involving torture and death. Adam Britton enjoyed a solitary life in Darwin prior to his arrest in 2022. His wife did not know about his offending 'We're certainly not asking for 78 years, but really two years for each of those offences is just,' he told the court. The matter was adjourned pending a psychiatric report and will return to court on August 8. Britton grew up in England and received his Ph.D. in Zoology at the University of Bristol before moving to Australia after 1996 to pursue his fascination with crocodiles. He met his future wife and they set up a consultancy company, Big Gecko, which sold footage of crocodiles to television and film directors. They worked with natural history shows with the BBC and National Geographic. Their saltwater crocodile, Smaug, became something of a celebrity in his field and appeared in two horror films. Britton and Erin also hosted Sir David Attenborough while he was filming the BBC's Life in Cold Blood docuseries. She was a biologist and wildlife ranger who has assisted in a range of projects on sea turtles and counting crocodiles. They were married for about 15 years, but she was often away for work and there is no suggestion that she knew about his dark secret. This is the shocking moment a wheelchair user is forced to drag himself along the floor of the plane to use the toilet, leaving him feeling 'embarrassed'. Spencer Watts was on board a Wizz Air flight from Gatwick to Rome when he asked air cabin crew if they had an aisle chair he could use. But he was given a 'pretty straight no' as the wheelchair hadn't been fitted yet to the budget airline's new aircraft. The female flight attendant tells the sales assistant 'we don't have this kind of service' and says there is nothing she can do 'from our side, unfortunately' when he asks if there is any way he can get to the toilet. Mr Watts, who has a spinal cord injury, is seen in the heartbreaking footage lowering himself onto the floor where he accidentally knocks another person's arm, before he drags himself past other passengers. Spencer Watts was on board a Wizz Air flight from Gatwick to Rome when the whhelchair user was forced to drag himself along the floor of the plane to use the toilet Mr Watts says he did receive an apology but was left having to choose between 'being in a lot of pain because you can't go for a wee' or shuffling along the floor This angle shows Mr Watts' view as he pulled himself along the aisle floor of the plane He had 'no option but to ask my fellow passengers on the side to move out of the way and drag myself along the floor and in to the toilet' Mr Watts described the experience as 'very, very horrible' with at one point his arm knocks into another passenger's who is sitting in his chair reading a book Mr Watts, who has a spinal cord injury, is seen in the heartbreaking footage lowering himself onto the floor in the aisle and dragging himself past other passengers The shocking footage will be shown in a new Channel 4 documentary to highlight the mistreatment of disabled people on planes. Mr Watts was one of 17 passengers with mobility issues who agreed to go undercover for paraplegic TV presenter Sophie Morgan's Fight to Fly, which airs on Monday at 9pm. He had already been waiting onboard the delayed Wizz Air flight for an hour before it eventually took to the sky. The plane had been in the air for 'a little while' when Mr Watts asks whether there is an aisle chair he can use. The flight attendant briefly goes back behind the curtain to ask a colleague before quickly returning to tell him there isn't one on board. In the awkward exchange, Mr Watts tells her that 'realistically you shouldn't be allowing people that can't walk on the aeroplane without an aisle chair'. 'I know but they didn't fit the wheelchair in this aircraft,' she replies. 'What I can do from my side is to report this situation because of course it's not nice for anybody.' Mr Watts says he did receive an apology but was left having to choose between 'being in a lot of pain because you can't go for a wee' or shuffling along the floor. 'I had no option but to ask my fellow passengers on the side to move out of the way and drag myself along the floor and in to the toilet,' Mr Watts says. 'It's just embarrassing, and you feel very small. There are a lot people on this aeroplane that are looking at you like 'what the hell is going on?'. 'So that whole experience is very, very horrible.' Ms Morgan is barely able to watch the footage back as she angrily hit out at the airline for putting Mr Watts in a 'dangerous' situation. 'Not only is he dragging himself along the floor, which is undignified, unfair, unjust, all of these things,' she says. Mr Watts was given a 'pretty straight no' by air cabin crew when he asked if they had an aisle chair he could use He had to use all of his upper body strength to haul himself along the floor in order to use the loo He said he was 'just embarrassing, and you feel very small. There are a lot people on this aeroplane that are looking at you like 'what the hell is going on?'' Sophie Morgan is barely able to watch the footage back as she angrily hit out at the airline for putting Mr Watts in a 'dangerous' situation Mr Watts is helped up onto the toilet after dragging himself along the floor Mr Watts says he did receive an apology but was left having to choose between 'being in a lot of pain because you can't go for a wee' or shuffling along the floor 'What you don't know is that he has got a spinal injury. He's putting his body at risk. He's dragging himself along the floor. 'The consequences of that could be further injury, which could lead to bed rest, which could lead to pressure sores. It's not just inhumane, it's dangerous.' A Wizz Air spokesperson said: 'We were extremely sorry to hear about the experiences of these customers. 'We understand the importance of wheelchairs for users. Unfortunately, on this particular flight, there was no aisle wheelchair. 'We are in the process of having aisle chairs available on all of our aircraft, with 85% of our fleet already having them.' In another clip, a group of disabled people are seen getting helped on to a Wizz Air plane. As they sit there waiting for the delayed flight to depart, the pilot appears to blame the hold-up on their wheelchairs being loaded onto the plane. 'We have some wheelchairs in the front cargo,' he says in an announcement to all the passengers on board. 'Now it looks like they've figured it out and due to that of course we lost our spot in the sequence and now we request a new one. Mr Watts was one of 17 passengers with mobility issues who agreed to go undercover for paraplegic TV presenter Sophie Morgan (pictured) for her Fight to Fly documentary In another clip, a group of disabled people are seen getting helped on to a Wizz Air plane As they sit there waiting for the delayed flight to depart, the pilot appears to blame the hold-up on their wheelchairs being loaded onto the plane Ms Morgan is left shocked by the footage and labels the announcement 'cruel' 'So sorry again for any inconvenience this may have caused.' Ms Morgan is left shocked by the footage and labels the announcement 'cruel'. She says: 'Can you believe how that feels if you are a wheelchair user? 'That's so cruel. For disabled people who are flying they are already feeling this system is not built for them. They have had their wheelchairs removed from them and now they are sitting there anxious, uncomfortable, sitting on seats that they can't move from. 'And they have just been called out by the captain for disrupting the flight.' Around half of 500 people surveyed by disability equality charity Scope said they felt discriminated against when flying at least once in the last five years. A Wizz Air spokesperson said: 'We were extremely sorry to hear about the experiences of these customers. 'We understand the importance of wheelchairs for users... Unfortunately, on this particular flight, there was no aisle wheelchair. 'We are in the process of having aisle chairs available on all of our aircraft, with 85% of our fleet already having them. 'We apologise for the way the pilot communicated the delay with passengers and recognise there would have been a more appropriate way for customers to have been notified.' Sophie Morgan's Fight to Fly is on Channel 4 on Monday July 22 at 9pm On a January morning in 2007, a young man called Jonathan Meijer entered the doors of a private clinic in the Netherlands to register as a sperm donor. It was an act he insists was underpinned by pure altruism: having seen a male friend confront the heartache of infertility, he wanted to do his bit to help others complete their dream of having a family. Seventeen years on, few can deny that Meijer, now 43, has more than fulfilled his calling and then some. By his own admission, he has fathered 'around 550 children' across the globe, although there are others among them the creators of a hit new Netflix documentary who believe the number could be at least double that, hence the arresting title of their three part series, The Man With 1,000 Kids. It's not just the title that gives pause for thought, however. The documentary features a number of women and couples, who have had Meijer's children, making a number of extraordinary claims about him. Jonathan Meijer, 43, has fathered 'around 550 children' across the globe, although there are others who believe the number could be at least double that Accusing him of, variously, extreme narcissism and harbouring a 'God-like complex', they suggest Meijer deliberately lied to those he helped about the extent of his activities, revelling in the control it gave him. In what is surely the most startling and unsettling accusation, one woman claims Meijer secretly mixed his sperm with another donor to play 'sperm roulette' with families' lives. It's a claim that, today, in his first full interview since the series began, Meijer calls 'rubbish'. 'Complete b******s, to use a word you English like,' he says. Meijer insists that not only has he done nothing wrong, but he's been woefully misunderstood. If he is guilty of anything, he claims, it's of getting carried away with the thrill of helping others create the family they yearn for. 'Not that I regret helping anybody, but it was more I don't like to use the word 'addiction' but you feel so rewarded, it's absolutely wonderful,' he says of his prolific donations. 'It's a blessing if you can experience it only once in a life, but I was experiencing it on many days, and still am, because people update me about what is happening with their children. 'It's a blessing, but I guess it got very hard to then just abruptly say: 'OK, I am this guy that is making all these people completely happy, but now I am going to stop.' ' Although stop he has. Meijer's last donation was in 2019, a development prompted in part by external forces. In 2017, the Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology banned him from donating any more after it emerged that he had 102 children in Holland alone. Six years later, a court in the Netherlands then banned him from making any further donations globally, after a civil lawsuit brought by the Donorkind Foundation, a Dutch charity which helps children from sperm donation trace their roots, argued that he was raising the risk of incest. In 2017, the Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology banned Jonathan from donating any more sperm after it emerged that he had 102 children in Holland alone It drew a legal line under a 'career' during which Meijer has whatever the disagreements over the exact number by his own calculations, produced hundreds of half siblings (the oldest 16 and the youngest five) dotted all over the world. And so we have a sprawling web of relations stretching across the world, from Europe to Australia emerging from one ordinary Dutch man. And in some ways that is the point. Speaking to me last week, Meijer emerges as neither the sinister seed-spreading archvillain portrayed in the documentary, or a thoughtless renegade. Genial and laid-back, he seems, more than anything, a conundrum: a self-described conservative, Christian churchgoer, but also a 'free spirit'; close to his parents and siblings, but a man who, despite his bountiful contribution to the global gene pool, has yet to have a family of his own. Certainly, Meijer's background was traditional. One of eight siblings, he was raised in The Hague by an artist father, who combined his creative output with blue-collar jobs to help make ends meet, and a homemaker mother. 'They did an excellent job,' he says of his parents. 'People in the documentary suggest I didn't get attention, or I was unhappy. But I have the best memories.' Initially hoping to pursue his love of music professionally, Meijer settled on a career in education, working for nearly a decade teaching social studies, before exiting the profession for a more laid-back life, juggling odd jobs with international travel and occasional work as a musician. 'I keep my expenses really low,' he explains. 'So it's not necessary for me to have a nine to five job.' He was at university when he first came across the idea of sperm donation, courtesy of a friend who confided in him about his infertility. 'He was a really nice guy, and it was shocking to me that this had happened. It was causing problems with his girlfriend, and he became depressed,' he says. 'He talked about adoption and sperm donation. I'm always curious, so I wanted to take a look.' Meijer says in the course of his research he came across donor and recipient stories which struck a profound chord. 'I wanted to do something meaningful with my life. This was a way to give somebody something that's extremely valuable,' he says. And so, aged 26, he signed up with his first clinic on that January morning in 2007, three years after the country changed the law giving children born from donor sperm the right to know the identity of their donor (the UK followed suit in 2005). 'For me, this was a good thing. I didn't want to donate anonymously: I wanted for the children and the parents, and also myself, to have a chance to meet in the future,' he says. 'On Netflix they portray me as this crazy person, but I was very aware of the consequences of being an 'open identity' donor.' The new three-part Netflix documentary, The Man With 1,000 Kids, features a number of women and couples, who have had Jonathan's children, making a number of extraordinary claims about him Jonathan says that 'on Netflix they portray me as this crazy person, but I was very aware of the consequences of being an 'open identity' donor' His family, too, would, indirectly, be affected. 'That was the hardest thing of all my decisions,' he says. 'I didn't want any of them to feel it's a burden or make them feel sad. So I kept it fairly strict and separate.' It is a rule that is maintained today. 'Some of the family are more on the positive side and others are more, 'This is not my cup of tea.' But we respect that because we are family first, and everybody makes his own decisions as long as someone is not committing horrible crimes.' Four children swiftly resulted from Meijer's interaction with his first clinic. But he did not stop there: while under Dutch guidelines, donors are not allowed to father more than 25 children, Meijer then went to ten other clinics throughout the Netherlands, a country with a population of just 17.7 million. He also joined Cryos, the international clinic based in Denmark although he stipulated that his sperm 'could not be sent to the Netherlands'. Why was one clinic not enough? Meijer struggles to say, although he refutes the idea that his actions were driven by narcissism. 'I think, if you looked at my day-to-day life, and spoke to my friends, they would not recognise that,' he says. 'I try to be a nice person, and to me I was helping in different parts of the country. 'None of the individual clinics, except one, asked if I had donated anywhere else and the one that did, when I said yes, told me they could not accept me. Sure, no problem. But the others didn't ask. If they were so concerned, the clinics could have picked up the phone to each other.' Perhaps he was too valuable an asset: while donors to clinics receive little more than 30-50 per donation, families who use their services are charged many multiples of that. And, to be blunt, it seems that a man described by one clinic as looking like 'Brad Pitt' was always going to be in demand. Either way, by 2017, prompted by an investigation undertaken after one clinic received an email from an anonymous whistleblower, it emerged that Meijer had fathered 102 children in the Netherlands alone. A court in the Netherlands has banned Jonathan from making any more donations globally, after a civil lawsuit brought by a Dutch charity which helps children from sperm donation trace their roots, argued that he was raising the risk of incest Some were the result of 'private' donations, made after he joined a Dutch website which allows families to search directly for individual donors. Posting pictures of himself with piercing blue eyes and a mane of blond hair, he quickly found himself inundated with requests. 'I thought maybe I would get two or three messages; I was getting ten a day,' he says, adding that he signed up because he yearned for a more 'individual' connection with his recipients. He certainly seems to have got that, according to one lady called Vanessa who appears in the Netflix documentary claiming Meijer offered to donate 'in the traditional way' a claim Meijer notably does not deny. She is one of five sets of interviewees two lesbian couples, a heterosexual couple and two single mothers in the programme who claim that Meijer consistently downplayed the number of donations he was making, telling them he was helping either 'a couple' of others, or 'a maximum of five families'. 'In the beginning I was very open,' he insists now. 'But I started to run into problems because some of them wanted exclusivity. They want their donor to themselves, which would not be an option if they went to a clinic, where they have no obligation to tell you how often the sperm has been used. 'I found out the hard way. I've had a woman at my door threatening me because I wanted to help one of her friends. So I decided to give an estimated number. And I know, in an ideal world, maybe it would have been different.' Aside from his acknowledgement that he may have got carried away, it is the closest we come in the interview to an admission of some sort of responsibility. As we have seen, he is more robust when confronted with the suggestion, made by a woman called Patricia, that he had mixed his sperm with another donor before handing it over in order to see which genes proved the strongest. 'It's disgusting,' he says. 'And I will sue Netflix over something which is not true and about which I know they have no evidence at all.' It is the one black-and-white statement in a conversation full of grey areas. Despite Meijer's assertions that he 'kept track' of the children born from his donations the list, he says, is 'in a safe' and that he took pains to ensure the children are in multiple locations across the world, some have ended up in bogglingly close proximity. In the documentary, it emerges that three of his offspring were found to be attending the same Dutch daycare centre. Which brings us to perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Meijer's 'work', which has, in the Netherlands at least, resulted in multiple children sharing the same genes, raising the risk of consanguinity (sexual relationships or marriages between people with common biological ancestors) and resultant potential birth defects. Once again, Meijer is untroubled. 'I do not agree with anonymous donors, because it's not very good for children. I think they need to have identity,' he says. 'My donor children, immediately from the moment they ask, they have a picture of me; they know my name; I meet with a large number of them. It takes one question to another person to find out who I am. So I think this is blown out of proportion.' The Dutch courts did not think so. Meijer's 2023 ban on donating his sperm which does not cover providing sibling donations for existing children was accompanied by a 100,000 ban (85,000) for any future violations. 'To me, it was ridiculous, as I had already stopped making donations four years before,' he says. 'For me, it was driven by a small group of women many on the documentary who had become obsessed with my movements.' Others he has helped, he insists, are more sanguine. 'It is like a bell curve you have the small unhappy group at one end, another group at the other end who think what I am doing is great, and then lots of others who are ok some more happy, some less happy,' he says. 'From what I have seen, the children are happy. Some have met half siblings; they go on holiday, they meet each other.' As for his change of heart this came gradually, prompted in part by wanting to focus on his own future. 'I was also really longing for this off-grid, traditional, natural life, which I am working on at the moment. I also felt I really need to settle down and have my own family.' In his case, of course, that perfectly ordinary undertaking comes with a complex web attached: any child he raises would soon learn that they have hundreds of half siblings, and even if you are not on birthday card terms, that fact is a lot to take in. There's also the small matter of getting a girlfriend. While coy on the subject of his love life, Meijer confides that his last two liaisons were with women he had initially met in his capacity as a donor. 'They just didn't work out,' he says. 'I would like to meet someone, and she will have to be strong to understand everything that has happened and be ok with it.' Can anyone be ok with it? And should they be? Either way, the reality is that, whatever the motivation of Meijer and anyone else like him whether it be well-intentioned or otherwise, the criminal courts are ultimately powerless to stop them. And that is, perhaps, the most unsettling part of this story. An Australian Tesla owner has shared her struggles with owning the 'lemon' - but insists she still loves the technology behind the car. Anne Bishop purchased a second-hand 2015 Model S from Tesla for $93,000 in 2018. But over the following years, Ms Bishop had to get her Tesla towed on four occasions, each time covering up to 500 kilometres. In one incident, while seven months pregnant, she had to climb out of the Tesla's window because the door handles had malfunctioned. Additional issues, including a malfunctioning rear motor and media control unit, led Ms Bishop to file a case with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal last month, seeking a partial refund from Tesla. 'The bottom line is it's a lemon,' she told News.com.au. Her claim to the tribunal accuses Tesla of repeatedly misrepresenting Australian Consumer Law through inadequate fault logs, refusing to put statements in writing, and failing to provide documentation about the car's maintenance. 'My last car was a $13,800 Toyota Echo,' she said. 'It went for 13 years utterly flawlessly, never had so much as an unexpected repair. I expected much better from Tesla.' Anne Bishop purchased a second-hand 2015 Model S from Tesla for $93,000 in 2018 But over the following years, Ms Bishop had to tow her car on four occasions, each time covering up to 500 kilometres In her complaint, Ms Bishop cites statements made by Tesla chief executive Elon Musk 'regarding the longevity, durability and quality of engineering and manufacturing in Tesla cars' as contributing to her decision to purchase the car, as well as 'express warranties' implied in his online comments. 'Wanted to say thanks to all that own or ordered a Tesla,' Mr Musk said in one tweet cited in the complaint. 'It matters to us that you took a risk on a new car company. We won't forget.' Ms Bishop said if she were Tesla 'and this had been the experience of one of my customers, I'd be giving them a new car, a full refund and an apology'. But despite the legal battle with Tesla, she said she wouldn't want to drive anything else'. 'It is the best car I will ever own, but it has also been the most terrifyingly unreliable,' Ms Bishop said. Her claims drew the attention of Aussie car expert John Cadgoan, who said the brand was among the least reliable in the world. 'They've changed the future of transportation. We agree on this point only, I would argue not for the better,' he said in a video posted to YouTube. The car expert slammed Ms Bishop for her support of the company despite going through 'unreliability hell'. Daily Mail Australia contacted Tesla for comment. A postal worker who was considered 'the mother of the neighborhood' has been fatally shot in Chicago. Octavia Redmond, 48, who brought joy to the people on her route with her warm smile, was delivering mail when an unknown gunman drove by and shot her around noon on Friday. According to Chicago Police, the shooting occurred on South Harvard Avenue in the South Side area. Redmond was busy delivering mail on her route when the suspect pulled out his weapon and fired multiple shots at her, before speeding away down 121st Street. Neighbors later claimed that they heard at least ten gunshots ring out. Octavia Redmond, who brought joy to the people on her route with her warm smile, was delivering mail when someone drove by and shot her According to Chicago Police, the shooting occurred on South Harvard Avenue in the South Side area Authorities are still looking for the unknown attacker, whose white Dodge Durango was discovered torched on Saturday. At this time, Chicago police are considering the possibility that the beloved wife and grandmother was targeted. According to Fox 32, sources familiar with the matter said that the killer trailed Redmond. They also claimed that the veteran postal worker was discovered with all of her possessions, suggesting that the attack was targeted and not a robbery. Right before she was shot, Redmond delivered mail to a resident of the neighborhood. Only a few seconds later, the resident, who didn't wish to be identified, said he heard at least eight gunshots. 'I came to the living room and looked out of the window. That's when I saw her laying on the ground. I'm like, that's the postal worker,' he told Fox 32. Redmond was busy delivering mail on her route when the suspect pulled out his weapon and fired multiple shots at her, before speeding away down 121st Street Sources claimed that the veteran postal worker was discovered with all of her possessions, suggesting that the attack was targeted and not a robbery After the attack, the 48-year-old was rushed to Christ Hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead. People who live and work in the neighborhood were shocked by the violence, which they say is not characteristic of the quiet area. 'I'm still looking for my morning smile or my afternoon smile,' Kim Sanders, who worked in the neighborhood, said. 'Now, I got to adjust to somebody else,' she told ABC7. After the attack, the 48-year-old was rushed to Christ Hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead 'It can't be true, not in this area, not in this block, because it's a lot of older people. And all of us know each other,' Sanders told ABC7. 'My heart is shattered, because there was a nice lady. She'd just come up and down the block and deliver the mail, didn't bother nobody,' the heart-broken woman continued. Residents on Redmond's route remembered her as always having a smile on her face. 'We all knew her... she was like a mother to the neighborhood,' Sanders said. 'She'll walk up to me. She's like, "Have a good day," sometimes. And she'll see the clients and sometimes give them a sucker or something,' she continued. 'She was a very, very good mail lady.' On Friday night, a flag hung at half-staff outside a South Side union hall to commemorate Redmond, whose husband also works as a mail carrier. Residents on Redmond's route remembered her as always having a smile on her face Neighbors later claimed that they heard at least ten gunshots ring out when Redmond was killed In an effort to help find the person responsible, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division is offering a reward up to $250,000 for information leading to the murderer's arrest and conviction. 'One of our own, a postal employee, we take it as seriously as anything, because this is why we're here,' Spencer Block with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said at a press conference. Elise Foster, the Branch 11 President of the National Letter Carriers Association (NALC), voiced her outrage following the shocking murder. 'I had the opportunity to meet with [Redmond] and talk to her, shes a great co-worker,' she told ABC7. 'Sister Redmond will not be going home to her family and I have a problem with that.' Foster heaped further praise on the late mail carrier, hailing her as a 'great person.' The NALC President also indicated that greater efforts need to be taken against those who target federal employees, like postal workers. 'They need to be prosecuting them. We are federal employees. How dare you? And, you just think you can get away with it?' Foster continued: 'My members are scared to go to work.' 'We are under attack here in Chicago.' Businesses and workers were placed under more cost of living pressure during the global IT crisis as payment and payroll systems crashed at a time when they could least afford it. The Global Payroll Association reported that millions of workers around the world risked going without their wages as a result of the global IT outage. GPA chief executive officer Melanie Pizzey told The Telegraph that they had been contacted by multiple clients who were unable to access their payroll software during the outage. 'Depending on the length of this outage, it could have very serious implications for businesses, particularly those who process payroll on a weekly basis,' she 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.' Griffith University business and consumer expert Graeme Hughes said there were reports that cloud accounting software Xero was caught up in the crisis. The software company services more than four million businesses in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Mr Hughes said many businesses were able to use a work around to avoid major disruptions to operations by using alternate bank accounts they had available to process payments and payroll. Griffith University business and consumer expert Graeme Hughes said the global IT outage highlighted the need for businesses to have contingency plans to ensure seamless operations 'While some were able to do that, some might have experienced a bit of a delay but I really think businesses try to be on the front foot with this and try to do the best thing by their staff,' he said Mr Hughes said it was not a good time for any business to have any sort of technical outage or drop in trade. 'It is a period of time, especially for Australian businesses that are facing increased overhead and utility costs, increased rent, increased insurance costs and rising wages,' he said. For many organisation, especially in the hospitality field, Mr Hughes said Friday would have been a bigger trading day and when you had a part day trade it meant they would have effectively lost money. 'Australians make on average 650 transactions per year compared to around 300 transactions 10 years ago,' he said. 'So we are transacting electronically more than ever before, so this impacts everybody so widely. 'We saw that with the confusion and disruption at the airports and shopping centres on Friday.' As the IT outage spread across the globe, office workers and customer-facing screens in places like supermarkets and airports were left facing the 'Blue Screen of Death.' Airlines, banks, media companies, petrol stations and other major businesses and retailers all came to a grinding halt as a result. Airports, banks, media, and airlines around the world are hit by a major IT outage on Friday 'This really highlights the need for contingency planning, no system is impalpable, you cannot have just one way of doing things,' Mr Hughes said. 'If something occurs in business you need a fail safe mechanism to ensure you have seamless operations. 'We are in the 21st century now, so we need to act like 21st century businesses. 'From a consumer standpoint it highlights the whole cashless society and how that is sometimes convenient when it works, but when it doesn't work it throws everything out of the window. 'It does bring a cashless society into question and highlights that cash is still an important component.' An Australian Banking Association spokesperson said impacts on banks and payments systems had been relatively minor, with any disruptions having already been remedied or were in the process of being gradually restored. 'Banks will continue to monitor for any further impacts to services,' the spokesperson said. A Good Samaritan has been heaped with praise after he was photographed helping an elderly woman unload her shopping outside a supermarket. A bystander said they were brought to tears after witnessing the act unfold at Cessnock, in NSW's Hunter Valley, on Thursday. She shared a photo to Facebook with the image showing an elderly woman pushing a trolley filled with bags of groceries on the footpath. A 'true blue Aussie' man was seen engaged in a conversation with the woman as he took a moment out of his busy day to help her unload her shopping into her car. 'This man is beautiful and brought tears to my eyes,' the Facebook post read. 'There really is good people still around. He offered to put the lady's groceries away in the car for her and put her trolley away after.' The bystander asked anyone in the area if they knew the man to pass on her gratitude for the seemingly random act of kindness. 'If you know this man please let him know he's appreciated more then he thinks,' her post read. The kind actions of the 'true blue Aussie' good Samaritan of helping the elderly woman at a supermarket drew praise from Facebook community group members Locals were quick to heap their praise on the good Samaritan. 'True blue aussie', one wrote. 'Very kind man', another added. 'Who ever you are. Good deed brother,' a third wrote. The man was described as a 'champion' and a 'gentleman' and his actions in helping the elderly woman were 'great work'. 'Great to see that there are still some amazing people out there,' one wrote. Others wrote that strangers helping each other out is common in the area. Members of the Cessnock Community Noticeboard group praised the kind actions of the mystery bloke. 'I have noticed that living up here people are more helpful let's hope that a community feel doesn't disappear. It's what we need to see more,' one wrote. Another revealed a friend recently had a pacemaker inserted and on his first walk to the chemist after his operation people offered him assistance and stopped to chat. 'He felt so safe and reassured that that he didn't have to panic. It was so awesome to hear,' they wrote. While many Democrats tripped over themselves to salute Joe Biden for dropping out dramatically on Sunday, some are not happy with the president being 'pushed out' of the job. Biden dramatically dropped out Sunday and endorsed Kamala Harris to be the party's standard bearer against Trump in November. While many - including Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Harris herself - praised the decision, not everyone is quite on board. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, one of Biden's most ardent defenders since the debate, slammed the decision and those who called on the president to quit. He laughed at the notion that Biden had been 'pushed out' before recently convicted New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, a frequent target of Fetterman's ire. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania , one of Joe Biden's most ardent defenders since the debate, slammed the decision for him to drop out and those who called on the president to quit 'People pushed out an honorable man, loving father and a great president before an absolute sleazeball like Menendez. Congratulations,' he told Semafor. Menendez was found guilty earlier this week of conspiracy to commit bribery in a widespread corruption plot. He was accused of participating in a years-long foreign corruption scheme that earned him gold bars, cash and a new car. The New Jersey Democrat has yet to resign or say with certainty that he won't run for re-election in November after he dropped out of the party's primary. Jasmine Crockett, a Congresswoman from Texas, also seemed baffled by Biden's decision and those who wanted him out. She posted to social media: 'I hope the geniuses that pushed the most consequential President of our lifetime out, have a plan. WHO in the hell couldn't sell the MF Accomplishments & win over a 34 time convicted Felon who isn't even allowed to operate businesses in the state of NY (and therefore should automatically be disallowed from say running the country) & his ENTIRE team IS project 2025?! Joe wasn't the problem dems were.' DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison was near tears Sunday on a Democratic National Convention Credentials Committee Meeting. 'I'm emotional, because I am still riding with Biden. I still support my president,' Harrison said. Biden dramatically dropped out Sunday and endorsed Kamala Harris to be the party's standard bearer against Trump in November DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison was near tears Sunday on a Democratic National Convention Credentials Committee Meeting CNN commentator Bakari Sellers was, like Fetterman, disgusted with how the process was carried out. 'Democrats should be embarrassed by the way President Biden was treated by his own colleagues the last month. He is one of the most transformative Presidents of a generation,' he wrote. However, he did admit: 'That fight is over. I dare not wage into another.' Sellers, Harris and Crockett immediately endorsed Vice President Harris - as Biden did Sunday afternoon - while Fetterman has not yet endorsed. DailyMail.com has reached out to a spokesperson from Fetterman's team to comment. Chris D. Jackson, a Tennessee politician and vocal Biden defender on social media, lashed out at the people who wanted the president to quit. 'I hope all of you anti Biden people are happy. You just forced the best President of our lifetimes off the ticket. What happens now is all on you,' he wrote. Jackson is also ardently in favor of Harris and endorsed her Sunday afternoon. Jasmine Crockett, a Congresswoman from Texas, also seemed baffled by Biden's decision and those who wanted him out Chris D. Jackson, a Tennessee politician and vocal Biden defender on social media, lashed out at the people who wanted the president to quit CNN commentator Bakari Sellers was, like Fetterman, disgusted with how the process was carried out The Biden/Harris campaign co-chair Chris Coons showed up on CBS News red-faced and weeping, saying that the president had made a 'difficult decision'. Coons, who is also a senator for Delaware, sobbed as he looked off into the distance, took deep breaths, and tried to regain composure on national television. CNN's Van Jones was also emotional and teary-eyed on air while speaking about Biden's decision to back out of the race and endorse Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. Meanwhile on MSNBC, Rachel Maddow gave viewers an emblazoned speech about how Biden's decision is not what he would have truly wanted - instead it's something he's done for the good of the country. Biden announced his seismic decision in a one-page letter posted on social media, where he committed to serving until the end of this term in January. However, Republicans called on him to resign immediately. arguing if he is not 'fit to run' then he is 'not fit to serve'. 'It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,' Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account on Sunday. 'And while it has been my intention to seek reelection,' he went on, 'I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.' Moments after his announcement, Biden posted to X an endorsement of Harris to take over his campaign Biden announced his historic decision to step aside in a one-page letter where he committed to completing his term, but did not fully endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement Although Biden had been under immediate pressure the stunning announcement came with no warning and many of his own staff and supporters in Congress appeared to be blindsided. 'No one had a heads up before the tweet posted,' one Biden campaign worker told DailyMail.com. 'Which, to me, is an insane way to treat the 1,300 people that work for you on the campaign.' Earlier on Sunday a slew of Biden's allies went on the airwaves to insist the President was not stepping down and would continue his reelection efforts. Biden said in his letter that he would speak in more detail about his decision in remarks to the country later this week. He also sent a quick follow-up post pushing for Harris to take over his campaign. Last week, Biden was pulled from the campaign trail after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 for the third time in the middle of a west coast swing. This led to even more speculation that he would soon drop out of the race. It came after the showdown against Trump last month where Biden was often seen on split screen with his mouth agape and a blank stare. During his time to speak at the podium, the President would stumble, freeze, lose his train of thought and mumble his way through answers to moderator's questions. At one point just 12 minutes into the debate, Trump said: 'I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don't think he knows what he said either.' Trump went on to a post-debate rally in Chesapeake, Virginia where he said he was skeptical Biden would actually drop out of the race, claiming Democrats don't have a better option against him in November. The former president's immediate response to Biden's decision came in a call to CNN on Sunday. 'He is the worst president in the history of our country,' the former president said. 'He goes down as the single worst president by far in the history of our country.' Trump added that he thinks Harris will be even easier to defeat than Biden. A Pennsylvania gun enthusiast has revealed that he practiced shooting with former President Trump's would-be assassin just weeks before the 20-year-old opened fire at a campaign rally. Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks and US Air Force veteran Bill Jenkins, 63, signed up for the same intermediate handgun - pistol 2 class at the Keystone Shooting Center in Cranberry, Pennsylvania on June 22. It was just the two of them in the course, when Crooks reportedly blew a large hole in a target with a volley of precision rounds from his own 9mm handgun. 'I was sitting next to evil,' Jenkins told The Sun. 'I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. 'This guy killed a man with a wife and kids, and almost plunged the country into chaos by killing Donald Trump.' Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, had practiced shooting at a gun range just weeks before he opened fire at former President Donald Trump's campaign rally When he first met Crooks, Jenkins said he could tell 'this kid was confident with guns. 'When we went to the range, he started shooting right away,' he said of Crooks. 'It seemed like he had experience with weapons.' Jenkins went on to note that when they were practicing shooting a target at 10 yards away, Crooks 'blew a big hole right through the centerpiece. 'I congratulated him on how good he'd done and he just laughed.' Crooks, Jenkins and their instructor then returned to the classroom, when, Jenkins said, the conversation became political. 'It turns out the instructor and I are Trump supporters,' he recounted. 'We talked about how our country was good under Trump. Our borders were secure, the economy was strong, we were energy-independent, and he got things done. 'I noticed at the time that the kid wasn't saying anything one way or another, but I could see him smirking. He had a little smile.' US Air Force veteran Bill Jenkins recounted how Crooks 'blew a big hole right through the centerpiece' of a target 10 yards away Jenkins said he didn't think anything of it at the time, believing Crooks was just quiet but overall a 'nice kid.' 'Looking back, I think he was biting his tongue,' he said in the aftermath of the July 13 shooting. 'Nothing we discussed will have sat well with him. 'It's crossed my mind - did that conversation help to push him over the edge?' Jenkins asked, rhetorically, as a motive for the shooting remains unclear. 'It freaks me out a little, because a person has died,' he noted, referring to ex-firefighter Corey Comperatore. Jenkins said he did not realize for a few days that the man he trained with was the same one who shot Trump on July 13 For a few days, Jenkins said he did not realize that the man who opened fire at the Trump rally was the same one he had trained with just weeks before. 'It was only when the Pittsburgh field office of the FBI called me on Tuesday, while I was driving, and asked me about the class at Keystone that I found out. 'The guy said, "The other person in the class with you was the assailant who shot Trump, and I just flipped out,"' he recounted. 'Once I looked at the pictures, I could see it was him.' He recounted that the FBI agents asked him whether Crooks had a bag with him - which Jenkins said he did. 'I was sitting next to real evil there, it really scares me,' Jenkins added. 'He could have shot us in the range. 'He tried to plunge the country into chaos. Maybe that's what his motive was - he wanted to start a real catastrophe in this country.' Crooks struck Trump in the ear and killed a retired firefighter at the Pennsylvania rally Crooks arrived to Trump's rally three hours before opening fire - sparking the suspicion of the Secret Service because he was carrying a rangefinder used by hunters to take long shots. Law enforcement even took a photo of Crooks an hour before the shooting. But he was never stopped or questioned. Crooks was later able to climb onto the roof of the building just over 100 yards away, in direct view of some of the rally-goers - who tried to alert police to the figure crawling on the roof clutching a rifle. We noticed a guy army-crawling, bear-crawling, up the roof of the building beside us, 50ft away, Greg Smith told the BBC. We could clearly see a rifle. Were pointing at him, the police are down there running around on the ground, were like Hey man, theres a guy on the roof with a rifle. . . and the police did not know what was going on.' Smith said he tried to alert authorities, but thought they could not see the gunman because of the slope of the roof. Im thinking to myself Why is Trump still speaking, why have they not pulled him off the stage. . . the next thing you know, five shots ring out, he said. Crooks then shot Trump and killed retired volunteer fire chief Comperatore, before being killed by authorities at the scene. Crooks was shot dead by local authorities after he opened fire from a nearby roof Trump has since revealed that 'nobody mentioned' Crooks to him, despite the fact that he was being monitored for 'an hour' before the shooting. 'Mistakes were made,' Fox News' Jesse Watters told Trump. 'They were monitoring this guy for an hour beforehand. No one told you not to take the stage?' 'Nobody mentioned it,' the former president replied. 'Nobody said it was a problem.' '[They] could've said, "Let's wait for 15, 20 minutes, five minutes." Nobody saidI think that was a mistake,' he added. Trump, along with the rest of the United States, later questioned how Crooks could have possibly made it onto the roof to begin with. 'How did somebody get on that roof?' Trump questioned. 'And why wasn't he reported, because people saw he was on that roof.' Trump revealed that security agents were alerted that someone was on the roof with a gun before he even walked out on stage - and did not stop him from doing so. 'When you have Trumpers screaming, the woman in the red shirt, 'There's a man on the roof,' and other people, 'There's a man on the roof and who's got a gun,'that was quite a bit before I walked on the stage. And I would've thought someone would've done something about it,' Trump said. Trump was left with a minor injury from the shooting - but the result could have been far worse if he had not, at the very last minute, turned his head slightly. Questions remain about how Crooks was able to climb onto the roof without any law enforcement stopping him Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle has been summoned to testify about the department's response before a committee of the US House of Representatives on Monday, as she faces calls to resign or face the sack. Meanwhile, questions remain about Crooks' motive. He was a registered Republican and had been described as classmates as a definite conservative, yet he donated money to a progressive movement in 2021. A review of his phone showed the would-be assassin had searched for information prior to the searching of Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Attorney General Merrick Garland - and Princess of Wales Kate Middleton. Dr Craig Hands, a psychologist in California, told DailyMail.com that while antidepressants may be linked to homicidal behavior, major depression is the likely culprit He also looked up major depressive disorder, with doctors now saying he fits the standard model of a mass shooter. Crooks was believed to have felt disenfranchised and invisible and sought a sort of immortality through his violent actions. Dr Craig Hands, a clinical psychologist in California, told DailyMail.com: 'In the case of the shooter, I can only surmise, in many ways, from what I've heard, he fits a common profile. 'Indeed it may be likely, I don't know that he was depressed, but that may have contributed to his actions. 'This depression creates isolation there is kind of a burning ember kind of depression that's associated with internal rage against oneself, and rage against the machine as it were. Rage against the world.' Major depressive disorder is a clinical diagnosis that causes a persistent feeling of deep sadness, hopelessness, loss in interest in activities, low energy, poor or increased appetite, concentration changes, suicidal ideations and behavior. Dr Hands added: 'Typically the depression is criticism and rage towards oneself, self-hatred. 'I have to underscore the term hatred, hatred for oneself, but oftentimes, or sometimes, that hatred gets projected out externally.' A 2015 Oxford University study of about 47,000 people in Sweden both with and without depression found that those with depression were about three times more likely than the general population to commit a violent crime, such as homicide, aggravated assault, or robbery. Yet it remains unclear whether Crooks had been diagnosed with the condition, which affects around 17 million adults in the US. Holidaymakers have been left stranded at Corfu Airport for more than 50 hours amid global chaos caused by an IT glitch that affected millions of computers across the world. Computer systems around the world crashed on Friday afternoon after a update by cyber security company Crowdstrike failed, affecting Microsoft users. Computer screens at airlines, supermarkets, banks, media outlets, petrol stations and other major businesses and retailers around the world were faced with the blue screen of death. On the Greek island of Corfu, passengers desperate to get back to their homes told Manchester Evening News that they were fed up of waiting for technicians to resolve the ongoing problems. 'It has been 50 hours now and we still don't know what's happening', one flyer said. On the Greek island of Corfu, passengers desperate to get back to their homes told Manchester Evening News that they were fed up of waiting for technicians to resolve the ongoing problems Holidaymakers have been left stranded at Corfu Airport for more than 50 hours amid global chaos caused by a global IT glitch (File image of Corfu Airport) Computer systems around the world crashed on Friday afternoon after a update by cyber security company Crowdstrike failed, affecting Microsoft users The holidaymaker said they flew on TUI, which has faced severe delays and cancellations this weekend caused by the global IT outage. 'Everyone is just miserable and angry. It's been a nightmare. People have work tomorrow. My mum works for the NHS and was like 'what am I going to do?'. People will be losing a day in work and have commitments, will they pay our wages?, they added. The latest statement on the airline's social media platforms reads: 'Following the global IT issue impacting businesses around the world, we would like to apologise to everyone affected. 'Whilst the original IT issue was outside of our control, the impact to our systems has meant that our flight programming continues to suffer delays and cancellations. 'We are very sorry to all those customers impacted as we understand how disappointing this is. We ask that all TUI customers due to travel this weekend regularly check the Travel Information page of the TUI website for the latest updates. Your TUI Team.' It comes as dozens more flights have been cancelled as the global IT outage entered its third day on Sunday. After hundreds of flights were delayed or cancelled by the global IT failure on Friday, further delays have continued throughout the weekend, with bad weather in parts of Europe making the problems worse. EasyJet cancelled 48 flights at London Gatwick on Sunday, including to popular holiday destinations such as Naples, Majorca, Amsterdam and Marseille. Footage posted on social media shows travel chaos at Gatwick with hundreds left stranded at the airport as they wait for information about their flights, and some being booked into hotels as the delays stretched overnight. Passengers at London Heathrow have also been hard hit, with British Airways cancelling a dozen flights to and from UK and Continental European destinations. Footage shows travel chaos at Gatwick with hundreds left stranded at the airport as they wait for information about their flights Travel chaos at Gatwick today as hundreds wait for more information about their flights One woman documented her travel frustrations on TikTok as she claimed of being stranded at Gatwick airport The woman said she became stranded at Gatwick as there were no hotels available in London Another person reported of already being in 'holiday mode' despite their flight being cancelled The global Microsoft outage has hit vital NHS services, with GP surgeries reporting problems British airports feel the after-effects of IT bug Airports across the UK have continued to see delays and cancellations on Sunday as the impact of Friday's IT outage continues to hit operations. Gatwick Dozens of flights have been cancelled at Gatwick today, with easyJet shelving 48 services. The airport also saw more than 150 flights have their departure time put back, with nearly a third of all flights affected. Heathrow Britain's busiest airport saw 20 flights which were due to leave or arrive today cancelled. There were also widespread delays, with nearly 250 flights departing later than planned. Stansted London Stansted seemed to escape the worst of the fallout, with just one departing flight cancelled and 26 delayed leaving. Luton Luton saw few cancellations today, with just three arrivals and departures failing to take place at all. By comparison more than 120 services in and out of the airport were delayed. Manchester Ten flights in and out of Manchester airport have been cancelled so far today. More than 100 flights were delayed leaving while almost the same number had their arrival times pushed back. Birmingham There were relatively few cancellations at Birmingham, with four flights shelved. Meanwhile, nearly 100 services into and out of the airport were delayed. Edinburgh A total of 19 flights were cancelled at Edinburgh airport, while nearly 70 had their departure times pushed back. Data from flightaware.com Advertisement It comes as the British Medical Association (BMA) today warned that GPs need time to recover from the global IT outage after a bug caused a 'considerable backlog'. The technical fault - created by an update pushed out to customers of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike - caused Windows software to shut down, prompting travel hell at airports and train stations as well as affecting GP and hospital appointments. The outage hit transport systems hard, with hundreds of flights cancelled and delayed into the weekend, while rail services in Britain were also affected on Friday. On Sunday the effects continued to be felt, with easyJet forced to cancel dozens 48 services at Gatwick airport. This included flights to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Naples in Italy, Majorca in Spain and Marseille in France. There were angry scenes at the airport to the south of London, with photos and video showing masses of passengers sitting in the terminal as after their flights were cancelled or delayed. The cancellations meant some travellers were unable to depart until tomorrow, with airlines being forced to book them into hotels overnight before getting a rearranged flight the next day. The airline has been forced to cancel flights at other airports across Britain as well, including Luton and Manchester. MailOnline has contacted easyJet for comment. Other airlines have also faced issues, with British Airways cancelling a dozen flights between the UK and continental Europe. Wizz Air also cancelled a number of flights at Luton Airport, while Aer Lingus axed flights between Dublin and Heathrow today. Consumer laws state that airlines with cancelled flights must book affected passengers onto a new service, as well as get them a hotel and meals if the wait for the new flight is long enough. Meanwhile, the health service is still feeling the fallout from the IT outage. The trade union for doctors said GPs would 'need time to catch up from lost work over the weekend', adding that NHS England should 'make clear to patients' this was the case. The BMA said its GP committee would continue to talk to NHS England and patient record system supplier EMIS to secure a 'better system of IT backup' to ensure the 'disaster' was not repeated. Dr David Wrigley, deputy chairman of GPC England, the representative body for GPs at the BMA, said: 'Friday was one the toughest single days in recent times for GPs across England. Without a clinical IT system many were forced to return to pen and paper to be able to serve their patients. Passengers queue at Gatwick Airport amid the first day of the global IT outage on Friday Passengers at Edinburgh Airport, as widespread IT outages have affected airlines this weekend The technical fault - created by an update pushed out to customers of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike - caused Windows software to shut down (File image) 'While GPs and their teams worked hard to look after as many as they could, without access to the information they needed much of the work has had to be shifted into the coming week.' He added: 'GPs have been pulling out all the stops this weekend to deal with the effects of Friday's catastrophic loss of service and, as their IT systems come back online, we thank them and their staff for their hard work under exceptionally trying circumstances. 'We also thank patients for bearing with general practice in this unprecedented situation. 'The temporary loss of the EMIS patient record system has meant a considerable backlog. '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 (National Health Service England) should make clear to patients that normal service cannot be resumed immediately.' A flawed update rolled out by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike knocked many services offline around the world on Friday, causing flight and train cancellations and crippling some healthcare systems. A fix was deployed for a bug in the update, which affected equipment running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as CrowdStrike's chief executive George Kurtz said it would take 'some time' for systems to be fully restored. Across England, GP surgeries reported being unable to book appointments or access patient records on Friday as their EMIS system went down. Railway services still faced disruption in the UK on Saturday. Pictured: A South Western Railway ticket machine put out of action due to the outage It comes as a cancer patient said surgery to remove a mass from her brain was cancelled this week due to the worldwide IT outage. Chantelle Mooney, 41, was due to have a craniotomy on Friday but said the surgery was cancelled following the IT glitch. Ms Mooney was diagnosed with stage 4B terminal cervical cancer in February 2022, which spread to her lungs. She was then told three weeks ago that a four centimetre mass had also been found in her brain - after she started experiencing weakness down one side. After initially being pushed back on Thursday, Ms Mooney arrived at Royal Preston Hospital, Lancashire, on Friday morning, expecting to go into surgery at 10am. But while she was watching TV in the waiting area before being called into theatre, she spotted the news that Microsoft technology was facing outages across the world. Ms Mooney said later her surgeon arrived to explain they relied on Microsoft technology for scans, emergency medication, accessing medical records and more. After spending the morning waiting to see if the issue would be solved, Ms Mooney was told at 1.30pm that the surgery would not be going ahead and was going to be pushed back to next Friday. A synthetic opioid described as 'fentanyl on steroids' was seized in a Florida drug bust, according to police. West Palm Beach police confiscated $1.6 million worth of N-Desethyl Isotonitazene - known as ISO - during a raid, reported WPBF. Authorities discovered the deadly drug in powder, pill and brick form while executing search warrants on a home and a storage unit earlier in July. '[The substances] came back as 50 times more potent than normal fentanyl that we normally deal with,' Lt. Joe Herb said. 'Fentanyl is normally very dangerous. Now, we're talking about 50 times stronger.' West Palm Beach police confiscated $1.6 million worth of N-Desethyl Isotonitazene - known as ISO - during a raid Lt. Joe Herb (pictured) said the drug tested 50 times more potent than normal fentanyl and he has never seen anything like it in his 34 years as a narcotics officer Police said the only other time they heard of ISO being found before now was in Philadelphia. One unidentified person has been arrested in connection with discovery. Herb said the drug is being sold on the streets of the Sunshine State and he is concerned it will lead to more overdoses. 'This is scary. I've been a police officer for 34 years. I've been doing narcotics pretty much my entire career. This is scary,' Herb said. 'You breathe that stuff in, or you grab it and touch your eyes or grab your mouth or something of that nature; there's a big concern right now.' In powder form, ISO can appear yellow, brown, or off-white in color, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Doctors told the local news station that ISO is a different compound than fentanyl, but both substances being found in other illegal drugs is concerning. 'As scary as it sounds, it's not surprising that that's where these synthetic opioids are going,' said internal medicine physician at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital Dr. Pedram Rad. 'This drug is actually about 60 to 70 years old. It was developed initially as a medication for pain control, and it was never approved by the FDA in the United States.' Authorities discovered the deadly drug in powder, pill and brick form while executing search warrants on a home and a storage unit earlier in July Doctors said that ISO is a different compound than fentanyl, but both substances being found in other illegal drugs is concerning Medical experts advise taking anyone who may have ingested ISO to the hospital for treatment and to keep NARCAN on hand. 'They have the potential to slow down the heart and respiration and can cause brain damage or people can die from it, so when you're using this on the street where it's not controlled, and you don't know what dose you're getting those are the things that can happen to you,' said Dr. Olayemi Osiyemi, an infectious disease doctor with St. Mary's Medical Center. 'The strength of these drugs could potentially put someone in a coma and kill them very quickly.' A recent CDC report found there were a record 107,941 deaths from overdoses in 2022, which is the most recent data available the equivalent of 295 fatalities per day and up one percent on the year before. Fentanyl was the main force behind the surge which is fatal in even in tiny doses with the illicit drug behind nearly 70 percent of the fatalities. Provisional figures for 2023 suggest the epidemic is continuing to rise, with 110,640 fatalities estimated for the 12 months to October that year. Instagram is facing a legal challenge over claims it profits by allowing users to advertise AI-generated child sex abuse images. It follows a police investigation which found that predators are using Instagram to promote websites selling the abuse material, which is available in just two clicks. In what campaigners say is a 'new frontier of horror', paedophiles are using artificial intelligence software to generate thousands of sexualised images of children, which they brazenly market on Instagram, telling users to click on their sites to buy even more explicit material. Law firm Schillings has launched a 'groundbreaking legal challenge' against social media giant Meta which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, on behalf of the 5Rights Foundation children's charity. It alleges that Instagram is 'complicit in the exploitation of children online' by hosting 'content which puts both adult and child users at risk'. Instagram is facing a legal challenge over claims it profits by allowing users to advertise AI-generated child sex abuse images Paedophiles are using artificial intelligence software to generate thousands of sexualised images of children, which they brazenly market on Instagram, telling users to click on their sites to buy even more explicit material. It cites a police dossier of evidence which 'clearly shows that AI-generated sexualised images of children are widespread on Instagram, and that Instagram is connecting users with illegal content'. Baroness Beeban Kidron, founder of 5Rights Foundation, which campaigns for a safe digital environment for children, vowed to pursue Meta through the courts if it does not act, warning: 'It's really easy to start on Meta platforms and end up in Hell two clicks later.' It comes as a separate report today reveals that public reports of AI-generated abuse imagery across the open web have quadrupled in just six months, following a terrifying new trend in which offenders steal photographs of innocent children from social media and use software to 'nudify' victims, manipulating the imagery to fulfil their twisted fantasies. The Internet Watch Foundation report warns that Britain is at a 'frightening tipping point' as AI tools are now able to generate images and videos so realistic that it is impossible to distinguish real from fake, making it difficult for officers to rescue victims. Baroness Kidron said: 'Seeing these sexualised images made me want to cry. It's very young girls scantily clad in suggestive poses. 'AI child sexual abuse material is creating a new frontier of horror and Instagram is enticing people there and enabling users to access child sexual abuse material. 'Children are being exploited and Meta is helping to grow the appetite for this material. 'If your business is to keep people clicking and you don't give a monkey's what they are clicking on, that is wilful blindness because the ultimate motive is making money.' When undercover police officers started investigating in December, they found dozens of accounts with names such as 'pervy kinks' featuring AI-generated sexualised images of young children. Alongside the partially naked pictures were links to pay-per-view websites and encrypted instant-messaging Telegram channels featuring footage of real children being raped. During the six-month probe, Instagram's algorithms recommended many similar accounts to officers, leading to fears that children stumbling on the sites may be directed into the clutches of child abuse gangs. Schillings said the openness of the material was 'legitimising' child abuse because paedophiles can network in plain sight without having to hide on the dark web. To understand how it works, Baroness Kidron permitted police to access photographs of herself, and they were able to show how AI created abuse images of her as an eight-year-old. ' It was horrendous to see these images, I can no longer look at pictures of myself as a child and not see these images,' she said. In January, officers flagged four offender profiles through Instagram's in-app reporting function, but nothing happened. Police then made an official information request regarding the accounts, but received no response from Meta. Schillings submitted a file of evidence last month, demanding an independent investigation. In a statement, Meta said that 'all violating accounts' had been removed earlier this year Meta failed to respond until contacted by the Mail, when it claimed it never got the email. It has removed all the accounts. Meta said: 'All violating accounts were removed by us earlier this year. Whether it's AI or an actual person, child exploitation of any kind is horrific and we have clear rules against it. 'We regularly report apparent instances of this content to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. 'We also share leads with other companies to fight cross-platform abuse, and support law enforcement in its efforts to arrest and prosecute the criminals behind it.' A witness has given a harrowing account of how she was told to hold back a screaming mother whose pram rolled in front of a train, killing one of her twin girls and her heroic husband. Commuters watched on in horror as the pram, which was carrying two-year-old twins, rolled onto the railway tracks at Carlton train station in Sydney's south at about 12.25pm on Sunday. The twins' father, Anand Runwal, 40, leaped down from the platform in a brave attempt to save them but a passing train struck and killed both the father and one of the twins. Mr Runwal and his wife Poonam moved from India to Sydney with their twin daughters in October 2023 after he secured a job at an IT firm in North Sydney. Witness Lauren Langelaar told Daily Mail Australia how the surviving girl - who went under the train - had 'hardly a scratch' on her when she was eventually reunited with her distraught mother. The girl was released from hospital on Monday morning. Ms Langelaar was working across the road when the tragedy unfolded. She ran to the platform after hearing the mother's screams for help. 'I ran out to help the mother because I could just hear her screaming while looking down onto the tracks,' Ms Langelaar said. 'It all happened very quickly. I was down on the platform helping the mother try and scream out to her children and husband under the train.' Ms Langelaar said a Sydney Trains worker, who was on the platform, called emergency services and explained they could 'only hear one child' crying. Anand Runwal and wife Poonam Runwal moved to Sydney in October 2023 with their two year - old twin daughters The pram, which was carrying two-year-old twin girls, rolled onto the railway tracks at Carlton train station in Sydney's south on Sunday The twins' father heroically jumped onto the tracks to try and save his daughters but was struck by a train passing through, killing him and one of the little girls When police arrived, they told Ms Langelaar to hold the mother back while officers jumped onto the tracks. Miraculously, one of the twin girls was pulled from underneath the train and escaped the accident 'with hardly a scratch on her'. 'As I sat her down, the little girl got pulled out of under the train with hardly a scratch on her, she was just crying,' Ms Langelaar said. She added the mum 'begged' paramedics to hand over her little girl so that she could hold her but was initially denied as they assessed the toddler's injuries. 'She refused at first for paramedics,to check her out, she just wanted to hold her [daughter],' Ms Langelaar said. 'Then she continued to yell out, "Where is my husband and other child?".' Ms Langelaar said paramedics continued to assess the little girl while she was in her mother's arms as she 'didn't seem to be hurt' and only had a 'slight bump on the back of her head'. The surviving toddler was taken to St George Hospital with her mum, who was on the platform when the accident occurred. The pair have since been discharged. One woman, Lauren Langelaar, ran to the platform after hearing the mother's screams and had to restrain her as emergency services looked for her husband and children Harrowing CCTV footage showed the family just minutes before the tragic accident Ms Langelaar said one man attempted to wave down the driver to alert him to the danger, but was unsuccessful. 'There was one man who apparently tried to wave the train down telling it to stop, but because it wasn't meant to stop at that station it just had no chance,' Ms Langelaar said. NSW Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan said the parents appeared to have taken their hands off the pram for a 'very short period of time' when it rolled towards the tracks. Mr Dunstan said police were investigating what caused the pram to roll and said it could have been something as simple as a 'gust of wind'. NSW premier Chris Minns, who lives within 100m of the station, said the father died while performing an 'extraordinary, instinctual act of bravery'. 'He gave his own life to try and save his children,' he said. Mr Minns described the incident as a 'terrible, terrible tragedy' for the surviving family members and first responders. The Premier did not rule out introducing new measures to train platforms to prevent similar tragedies from occurring. 'We'll work with NSW trains and police inquiries and if changes need to be made we'll make them,' he said. 'It's too early to say, but I don't want to close the door on any changes we could make. 'Train stations can be dangerous places and we all need to be cognisant of that.' Police closed the station and launched an investigation into what caused the pram to roll onto the tracks Floral tributes were placed at Carlton Railway Station for the hero dad and his little girl who were killed by the train Sydney Trains CEO Matthew Longland said he did not want to speculate on the outcomes of the police investigation but claimed any recommendations to improve safety would be considered. 'Our first priority is to support those involved and to work with the investigation to ensure we have all the appropriate facts so we can fully understand the incident,' Mr Longland said. 'We will consider any recommendations that come out of the investigation. I do want to remind everyone to be particularly safe on platforms when traveling on the rail network. 'Stay behind the yellow line and well clear of the platform edge. Train stations are very dangerous places.' Mr Longland described the scene as 'confronting' and thanked first responders for their efforts. 'Clearly, incidents like this are quite confronting for everyone involved, and I want to thank all the first responders for their efforts in managing such a difficult situation,' Mr Longland said. Officers were spotted at Carlton Railway Station on Monday (pictured) as investigations into the tragedy continue One potential safety measure could be platform screen doors, which have been installed across the new Sydney Metro network (pictured) One potential safety measure could be platform screen doors, which have been installed across the new Sydney Metro network. Each door weights 175 kilograms and has a height of about 2.5 metres, creating a complete barrier between the platform and the track. 'The doors will help increase safety by creating a barrier between the platforms and tracks, allowing customers to move along the platforms more efficiently,' Sydney Metro said. The platform screen doors were vigorously tested before being put into operation for metro services at the start of 2024. Police in Leeds have come out in force as the city's Pride event took place days after streets were left burning by violent riots. Thousands of people, marshalled by officers from West Yorkshire Police, descended on Leeds on Sunday for the annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. The one-day festival, which last year saw 75,000 people attend, featured live music, drag artists and a giant rainbow flag as a parade moved through the city before finishing near the Corn Exchange. While a large proportion of those taking part were members of the public, members of the emergency services, including the police, firefighters and paramedics, as well as Armed Forces personnel, were also involved. A police officer waves the Progress Pride flag during the Leeds Pride parade on Sunday People taking part in Leeds Pride hold multi-coloured balloons that spell out the word 'Proud' as they walk through the streets A parade-goer wearing Army uniform holds a Union Jack which has been filled in with the colours of the rainbow behind them A firefighter on stilts waves two Pride flags as he takes part in the parade at Leeds Pride yesterday A man in a wheelchair dressed in a rainbow-coloured suit and hat puts his thumbs up as he moves down the road Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, laughs as she takes part in the parade with a brass band behind her A child wearing a Pride-inspired outfit waves an LGBTQ+ flag while sitting on a man's shoulders A person wearing a horse mask waves a Pony Pride flag, which represents the pony play fetish community A man waves the Rubber Pride flag, which is used to denote members of the rubber fetish community Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, along with Leeds North West MP Katie White, were among those present for the event which appeared to take place with few problems. Terry George, spokesperson for Leeds Pride, told Leeds Live: 'It's just incredible to see how far we've come since the very first Leeds Pride back in 2006. 'With more allies than ever before - not to mention the biggest site the festival has ever seen - 2024 is looking likely to be a record-breaker in terms of numbers.' The event came just three days after parts of the city saw scenes of shocking violence when rioters overturned police vehicles and set fire to a bus. The disorder, which took place in Harehills less than three miles from the city centre, broke out after four children were removed from a Roma family by police and social services on Thursday afternoon. Social Services had concern for the children's welfare after an incident in April when another child, a nine-month-old baby, suffered a head injury. Police are believed to have been called when social workers were met with hostility. Footage of the children being dragged from the home in Luxor Street by officers was shared on social media, sparking anger and protests in the community. Fire burns through the remains of a double-decker bus which was set alight by rioters in Harehills on Thursday Hooligans throwing missiles at the police as debris burns in the street amidst the chaos in Harehills, Leeds A 2,000 strong mob broke out in Harehills, Leeds after children from a Roma family were taken from their terraced home by police (pictured: a fire ablaze on Thursday) The spate of violence broke out after children were removed from a house in Harehills (pictured: a fiery blaze) Firefighters douse a fire, set in the middle of Harehills Lane on Thursday night That night a 2,000-strong mob ran amok, setting fires in several roads, fuelling them by dumping wood, fridges and wheelie bins on the flames. The violence, much of which was filmed and live-streamed on TikTok, saw a double decker bus set on fire, while a police car was overturned and battered by rioters. Video caught the moment a group of police officers appeared to run away from the crowds and firefighters refused to go into the area to deal with the blazes for fear of being attacked. On Sunday police charged one man with violent disorder and arson in relation to the riots. He will appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court later today. A number of other people have been arrested in connection with the riot. The protests have continued in recent days as well, with the Roma community in Leeds taking to the streets to peacefully demand the children are returned to their family. Police officers standing by a still smoking bus on Friday after the night of violence in Harehills Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood on July 19 Riots in the Hare Hill area of Leeds began Thursday night after social services in the city removed all four children from a family Locals arguing with police in Harehills, Leeds, on Friday following Thursday's disturbances The removal of the children from a home in Harehills has sparked concerns about underlying prejudice against Roma communities. The ethnic minority group, who are widely subjected to discrimination and poverty across Europe, make up some 5,000 people in the area. Video footage posted on social media shows hundreds of people singing and chanting on the streets in a seemingly peaceful demonstration on Saturday. The singing was made louder using microphones as some members of the group held up signs reading 'please give back children'. An increased police presence remains in place in the area and will do so over the coming days. 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.' Independent Senator Joe Manchin is considering returning to the Democratic party and jumping in the presidential race now that President Joe Biden has announced he will not seek reelection. The West Virginia Senator had previously been floated as a potential unity candidate during the primary season but declined to run. At the end of May, Manchin left the Democratic party after decades in office as a Democrat and registered as an Independent. But Manchin is now considering reversing course and re-registering as a Democrat to run for president, a source confirmed to DailyMail.com. It comes after Biden announced Sunday afternoon he would not seek reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination. Harris then announced she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. A number of prominent Democrats have already come out in support of Harris including Governors Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro and Senator Mark Kelly, but it is not a done deal. West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is reportedly considering re-registering as a Democrat to jump in the presidential race Some Democratic officials immediately jumped to endorse her but others held off and called for the Democratic process to play itself out as delegates must officially select their nominee next month. Earlier on Sunday, Manchin joined the growing chorus of elected officials calling on Biden to step aside. 'I came to the decision with a heavy heart that I think its time to pass the torch to a new generation,' Manchin said in a series of Sunday show interviews. He has long warned that he believes Donald Trump is a threat to democracy, but he had also expressed concerns over the president's health. Manchin has long gone back and forth between being a thorn in Biden's side and an ally. He helped Democrats pass some of their biggest pieces of legislation under Biden over the past three years while extracting key demands that removed some components that had been top priorities for progressives. Senator Joe Manchin came out and said on Sunday morning that he thought it was time for Biden to 'pass the torch' only hours before Biden announced he was exiting the race President Biden announced he was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee on Sunday afternoon Jumping in the Democratic race for president and challenging Biden's endorsed candidate would be one more needle in President Biden's side from the West Virginia moderate. When Manchin exited the Democratic party less than two months ago, he said he was making the decision to 'stay true to myself and remain committed to put the country before party.' Despite the party registration change, Manchin has continued to caucus with Democrats on Capitol Hill. Manchin announced last fall that he would not seek reelection as the senator from West Virginia in the increasingly red state. It is expected the Senate seat will flip to red this fall with Republican Governor Jim Justice as the West Virginia Senate nominee. Other Democrats who have been seen as potential replacements as the Democratic presidential nominee including Governor Josh Shapiro, Governor Gavin Newsom and Governor Roy Cooper have all come out in support of Harris at the top of the ticket. President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday paving the way for Democrats to choose a new presidential nominee. The president immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 race, but she does not have it completely locked up yet. Harris confirmed she will seek the Democratic presidential nomination soon after the president's bombshell announcement. A growing number of Democratic leaders including some prominent lawmakers, governors and party heavyweights immediately moved to back the vice president in her bid for the White House. She is looking to shore up support ahead of Democrats heading to Chicago for the Democratic National Convention next month. The convention kicks off August 19. The Tennessee delegation unanimously decided it will back Harris, a source confirmed to DailyMail.com on Sunday. The South Carolina, North Carolina and New Hampshire delegations also announced unanimous support of the vice president. Other delegations are expected to soon make decisions. President Biden announced he is backing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. Several other prominent Democrats have also backed her but she has not locked up the nomination yet But some Democratic lawmakers have said they are waiting to see how the process plays out and have not moved to back Harris just yet. Former President Obama was among those who did not signal support as of Sunday. Meanwhile, Senator Joe Manchin is considering re-registering in the Democratic party and running for the nomination. The uncertainty after Biden's announcement just over 100 days before Election Day means Democrats could have a brokered convention for the first time in more than 70 years and opens the door to a wild and a potentially exhausting nominating process next month at the convention with voting until a nominee is chosen by a majority of eligible voting delegates. A brokered convention is a presidential nominating convention where delegates fail to nominate a candidate on the first ballot. It means no candidate gets the votes of more than half of delegates in the first round. Biden speaking nearly four years ago on the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention in 2020 in Wilmington, DE Once upon a time, brokered conventions happened regularly because the major parties did not hold primaries to award delegates the way they currently do. It lead to a series of complex negotiations playing out among some party power brokers, typically federal and state leaders including party officials, lawmakers and governors. The voting continues on a round of ballots until a candidate receives a majority of delegates. The last time there was a brokered convention was in 1952. Then Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson and Sen. John Sparkman at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1952, the last time there was a brokered convention Stevenson secured the Democratic party nomination in 1952 on the third ballot at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago In the end, Democrats were able to nominate Democrat Adlai Stevenson on the third ballot. Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower that year was just nine votes short on the first ballot, prompting some delegates to change their votes to make him the official nominee. The longest brokered convention to date took place 100 years ago in 1924 when Democrats took sixteen days and 103 ballots to nominate diplomat John Davis. It took Franklin Delano Roosevelt four ballots to secure the 1932 Democratic nomination. 'We really don't have any standards or benchmarks or known procedures,' said Leonard Steinhorn, professor at American University, of what a brokered convention would look like in 2024. 'We're sort of walking a little bit in the wild right now,' he said. While the terms brokered convention and contested convention are often used interchangeably, there is a key difference. A contested convention is one where the one candidate has done well but not enough to guarantee nomination on the first ballot, so another candidate tries to convince delegates to abandon the frontrunner. It has been more common in the modern era than a brokered convention, according to Elaine Kamarck from the Brookings Institute. With Biden in the race, the convention is more of a public relations event for the party and president because the nominee is already determined, and in this current case well known incumbent president. But if Biden were to exit the race before the convention, there is not a clear frontrunner, unless the president moves to pass the baton and makes an endorsement. Political parties have largely tried to avoid both brokered and contested conventions because history shows candidates who need multiple ballots to be nominated are less likely to win the White House. It is a pressing concern as Democrats ponder the best candidate to take on Trump this fall and is partially why a number of Democrats have already coalesced behind Harris and are trying to show unity. Of the sixty Democratic and Republican nominating conventions from 1868 after the Civil War through 1984, eighteen candidates were nominated on multiple ballots according to Pew. Of those, only seven were elected president, and among those, four were running against other nominees who also faced multiple ballots to receive the nomination. The last time a Democrat vigorously argued for an open convention was late Senator Ted Kennedy in 1980. The senator challenged President Jimmy Carter for the nomination. Ultimately, delegates had to stay faithful based on their state results when voting. But Carter went on to lose the election that fall to Ronald Reagan. Before that, Republican President Gerald Ford went into the 1976 convention with a clear majority of delegates but not a necessary number to lock up the nomination leading to a serious challenge from then-Governor Reagan. He ended up winning on the first ballot but went on to lose the election to Carter. 'You want a party united behind the person who seems to be the popular choice of the members of that party, of the voters,' Steinhorn noted. Determining the candidate at the convention would force the party and campaign to scramble to introduce the nominee to the public, raise money and hit the campaign trail before Election Day. Former President Donald Trump and wife Melania with his running mate J.D. Vance and wife Usha at the Republican National Convention on July 18 What could benefit Democrats if they were to face a brokered convention in 2024 is whoever their nominee is, the opponent is Trump. 'This is going to be an unusual year because Donald Trump has very, very high negatives,' said Steinhorn. While Democrats would be playing catchup for November in their messaging and ground game, there could be a key difference. 'Because Donald Trump is so singularly unpopular as the opposing party nominee, it potentially does give the Democratic Party is small advantage,' he added. Botanists have chosen to rename hundreds of species including common plants because they have 'racist' or offensive connotations. They say that the names of more than 200 plants, fungi and algae should be changed because they contain the word 'caffra' derived from the term 'kaffir'. Kaffir is considered an ethnic slur that has been used to denigrate Black people in South Africa. Changes to the plant names were voted on at the International Botanical Congress in Madrid yesterday. Plants such as the coast coral tree will, by the end of this month, be formally called Erythrina affra, instead of Erythrina caffra. Plants such as the coast coral tree will, by the end of this month, be formally called Erythrina affra, instead of Erythrina caffra - because 'caffra' is derived from the term 'kaffir', which is a derogatory term used against black people in South Africa Botanists have also renamed the gifbossie flower from Gnidia caffra to Gnidia affra In another example, the gifbossie flower will be renamed from Gnidia caffra to Gnidia affra. Gideon Smith, a plant taxonomist at Nelson Mandela University, proposed the changes alongside a colleague, Professor Estrela Figueiredo. Professor Smith said: 'We throughout had faith in the process and the majority global support of our colleagues, even though the outcome of the vote was always going to be close.' Their proposal takes species names based on the word caffra and its derivatives and replaces them with derivatives of 'afr'. The measure passed in a secret ballot, with 351 votes in favour against 205 opposed. Alina Freire-Fierro, a botanist at the Technical University of Cotopaxi in Ecuador, said it was good that the 'caffra' amendment was passed, because of the offence it causes. But its passage could open the door for other similar changes. She added: 'This could potentially cause a lot of confusion and problems to users in many fields aside from botany. Gideon Smith, a plant taxonomist at Nelson Mandela University (pictured), proposed the changes alongside a colleague, Professor Estrela Figueiredo A second change to the rules for naming plants that aimed to address problematic names, such as those recognising people who profited from the transatlantic slave trade, was also passed by the International Botanical Congress. Under the change, a new committee will be set up to consider controversial names but it will only consider objections to new plant scientific names that have been published after January 1, 2026. Two Australian comedy legends have been left stunned after claiming a bank refused to help track down their stolen money as it would invade customer privacy. Victorian couple Rod Quantock and Mary Kenneally say their cry for help was turned down by HSBC late last year. Mr Quantock had a day earlier received a call from someone claiming to be from his financial institution, Bendigo Bank, The Age reported. He was told by the fraudster the couple's account had been hacked and he needed to transfer funds into another account that been created to stop the scam. Still recovering from the effects of anaesthetic used during a recent cardiac procedure, Mr Quantock transferred $30,000. Sensing something was not right, he contacted his local Bendigo Bank branch. He was told the person he had spoken to was a fraudster and their money had been sent to an HSBC account. I could hear Rod in the back room talking to someone on the phone... for a long time,' Ms Kenneally said. Comedy legends Rod Quantock (pictured) and his wife Mary Kenneally were victims of a scam involving HSBC An HSBC Australia Scam Victims Facebook page has been created where customers post their experiences and offer advice 'Rod sounded very serious. A little bit alarming.' Mr Quantock and Ms Keneally, who both live on the aged pension, said HSBC were able to restrict the account their money had been transferred into after being alerted by Bendigo Bank. Less than $3,000 of the $30,000 could be retrieved. The next day, Ms Kenneally contacted HSBC to track down their funds. 'They refused to do anything as they could not "invade their customers privacy,"' she said. Mr Quantock and Ms Kenneally claimed following the media attention, they were promised they would be fully compensated for their loss. Ms Kenneally said they have simple questions that haven't been answered by their bank. 'Why couldnt our bank reverse the transaction? Or put a time delay on unusual payments?' she said. Ms Kenneally said they weren't offered any advice on what to do and added the banks 'don't seem to care at all'. Mary Kenneally (pictured left) and Rod Quantock worked together on the 80's sketch comedy series Australia You're Standing In It An HSBC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia protecting customers 'from criminals is critical'. 'While there is always more work to be done when combating scammers, HSBC together with the industry has been doing everything it can to protect customers,' she said. Mr Quantock and Ms Kenneally are a prominent couple in Australian comedy, best known for their work in live theatre and television, and worked together on the 80's sketch comedy series Australia You're Standing In It. After fiercely supporting President Joe Biden's reelection bid, Progressive 'Squad' leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has broken her silence, throwing her full support behind VP Kamala Harris. President Biden's shocking announcement Sunday seemed to tee up Harris to neatly assume the campaign he left behind. Biden even endorsed her to take the Democratic presidential nomination. Harris, who had one of the most progressive records during her time in the Senate, has been lauded and endorsed by AOC's Squad allies like Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Cori Bush, D-Mo. AOC, who just last Thursday went to bat for Biden during a late night Instagram livestream decrying the 'enormous peril' posed by replacing the president atop the ticket, walked that back and pledged her full support for Harris after Joe jumped out of the 2024 race this afternoon. Just two weeks ago, after the disastrous CNN debate rattled Joe Biden's campaign, Ocasio-Cortez threw her complete support behind the president, saying it 'he is our nominee' and that 'the matter is closed' 'Kamala Harris will be the next President of the United States,' the New York Democrat wrote on X Sunday night. 'I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November.' 'Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Lets get to work.' The 34-year-old congresswoman took to Instagram - one of her favorite tools to reach her massive devoted and following - and for an hour just last Thursday to describe the 'perils' of Biden dropping out on Thursday. 'People need to understand the reality and the gravity of what these people are proposing,' she said. 'I'm not saying this is all a reason not to do it, but I do think people are talking about this without having two eyes wide open as to what this really means.' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pledged her 'full support' to Vice President Kamala Harris Then she raised the alarm: 'I have not seen an alternative scenario that I feel will not set us up for enormous peril.' Also in the monologue, AOC warned that the Democrats are far from unified behind the vice president. '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,' Ocasio-Cortez said on the stream. 'I'm in these rooms. I see what they say in conversations, Ocasio-Cortez said. 'They are interested in removing the whole ticket.' 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. The congresswoman said that former President Trump is 'also very old, and a racist, and a neo-Nazi.' U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) hold hands at an event to commemorate Earth Day during a visit to Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, Virginia, U.S., April 22, 2024 Ocasio-Cortez has served as a surrogate on the Biden campaign Now, her tune has changed and she and her fellow Squad members are lining up behind the former progressive senator. Harris has also been endorsed by other notable Democrats like the Clintons and California Gov. Gavin Newsom - who has been thought to be in contention for the nomination. A pram carrying twin two-year-old girls rolled into the path of an oncoming train in Sydney on Sunday, police said, in an accident that killed one of the children and the 'heroic' father who dashed to their rescue. One of the little girls survived only 'through good luck' after she landed between the rails when the pram fell off a platform at southern Sydney's Carlton railway station, police said. She was 'largely untouched' by the train that apparently passed above her on its way to central Sydney in the early afternoon, police said. The parents had taken a lift down to the station platform and as they exited, they took 'their hands off the pram for a very, very short period of time', New South Wales police superintendent Paul Dunstan said. 'Whether it's a gust of wind or - we're not quite sure - but it appears that the pram has instantly started to roll in the direction of the train lines,' he told a news conference. A pram carrying twin two-year-old girls rolled into the path of an oncoming train in Sydney on Sunday One of the little girls survived only 'through good luck' after she landed between the rails when the pram fell off a platform at southern Sydney's Carlton railway station Police and emergency services arrived within a few minutes of being alerted and were able to see the pram under the train, which had slowed on approach but was not scheduled to stop at the station. 'You could hear crying coming from underneath the train,' the police superintendent said. Though one of the children was unharmed, the other girl and her 40-year-old father had been killed. The father had 'just gone into parent mode' and tried to save his daughters, Dunstan said. 'In doing so it's cost him his life, but it's an incredibly brave and heroic act by the dad.' Police and emergency services arrived within a few minutes of being alerted and were able to see the pram under the train Though one of the children was unharmed, the other girl and her 40-year-old father had been killed The mother and her surviving daughter were taken to the local St. George Hospital, and were said to be in a stable condition. The 39-year-old mother was 'in a state of shock and struggling with what's happened' while being supported by family and friends in their local Indian community, Dunstan said. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the local community would be pained by the accident. 'I hope over time they can gain some small solace knowing that the father died from an extraordinary, instinctive act of bravery,' Minns said. 'In the face of a terrible, terrible accident, he gave his own life to try and save his children.' An Australian city has been ranked the 18th most dangerous city in the world, with an equal crime and lack-of-safety rating as Mexico's murder capital, Tijuana. In a shameful milestone, Alice Springs has been ranked the first Australian city to make the top 20 of the twice-yearly Crime Index by City ranked by Numbeo. Topping the 2024 Mid-Year Index are the crime-infested South African cities of Pietermaritzburg and Pretoria. They are followed by the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby. Three other South African cities - Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth - come next, followed by the Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Another South African city, Cape Town, is 17th and next is Alice Springs, the iconic Outback town which was catapulted into this infamous list by years of lawlessness with gangs of children roaming the streets committing crimes. Although it is the second year that the town has made the top 20, just two years ago it didn't even rank in the top 450 most crime-ridden cities. The worst in Australia in 2022 was the NSW Central Coast town of Gosford (58th) and Cairns (72nd). In January 2023 the 16-year-old son of an Alice Springs hospitality worker was set upon by youths and hit with an axe in his face, stomach, and legs A stolen car is set alight on a street in Alice Springs after gangs of youths were seen roaming around affected by alcohol In the latest index, Alice Springs has made the top 20 by scoring a crime index of 72.1 and a safety index of 27.9. The safest city among the 311 listed in the mid-year rankings is Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates which scores 11.8 for crime and 88.2 for safety. Two other UAE cities - Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah - are among the most safe and least crime ridden. Australia has eight cities on the list. Canberra is the most safe at 26.4 for crime and 73.6 for safety, the same as the Chinese cities of Shenzen and Beijing. The Gold Coast is the second most dangerous Australian city, ranking 139th in the world with middling scores for crime at 46.9 and a 53.1 for safety. This is followed by Melbourne (163rd), Perth (175th), Brisbane (208th), Sydney (219th) and Adelaide (229th). Auckland, New Zealand (122nd) is more dangerous than any Australian city bar Alice Springs, and is followed by Christchurch (156th) and Wellington (223rd). The wave of violence which turned Alice Springs into an unsafe outpost has been blamed on the Albanese Government's decision to lift bans on alcohol two years ago. Problems were 'immediate' when the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act ceased on July 17, 2022, meaning alcohol was available for the first time in many of the Territory's Indigenous town camps for the first time since 2007. Alice Springs has made the top 20 most dangerous cities in the world for the 2nd year, but just two years ago did not even feature in the top 450 worst places Kids began drinking alcohol, 'sometimes in the form of hand sanitiser diluted in soft drinks, or consuming deodorant, petrol or glue', and using weapons such as machetes and axes. As a result, the city's crime rate soared, with gangs of up to 200 children roaming the streets at night, committing crimes such as breaking into homes and stealing cars. Residents complained they were living in fear and forced to hide indoors as children as young as five run riot on the streets. HOW YOUR CITY RATES FOR CRIME & SAFETY Alice Springs: Ranked 18th most dangerous, Crime rate 72.1. Safety rate 27.9 Gold Coast: 139th. Crime, 46.9. Safety, 53.1 Melbourne: 163rd. Crime 43.7. Safety 56.3 Perth: 175th Crime 41.7. Safety 58.3 Brisbane: 208th. Crime 36.7. Safety 63.3 Sydney: 219th. Crime 34.1. Safety 65.9 Adelaide: 229th. Crime 32.3. Safety 67.7 Advertisement Videos and images posted on local bakery owner Darren Clark's Action For Alice Facebook page - which charts the lawless behaviour to back before the lifting of the alcohol - went on to make world news. Mr Clarke's latest posts from the most recent weekend of violence show things have not really changed, despite the Northern Territory police commissioner Michael Murphy's promise to install an Alice Springs Territory Safety Division to return law and order. Operated by Assistant Commissioner Janelle Tonkin with 18 highly trained officers, the division was to have 'targeted responsibilities of youth crime, high visibility policing and rapid response to public order situations.' Last weekend, three hooded and masked males wielding machetes broke into a home at 3.30am occupied by a mother and her four children, aged three to 14, according to Action for Alice. The alleged offenders, aged 18 to 30, held a machete to the eight-year-old boy to keep him quiet, and a machete to the throat of the mother as they demanded alcohol. The 14-year-old protected the three-year-old as the mother begged for her childrens safety, with a six-year-old sleeping through the ordeal. The intruders got their alcohol and left. Mr Clark said things had deteriorated since the end of a violence- controlling youth curfew in April. His face disguised, a youth prepares to hurl himself at the metal roller door of a bottle shop in order to take alcohol, a commodity still causing break-ins as recently as last weekend The youth smashes his feet into the booze outlet door His site recorded the fact that car windows were smashed at the Mercure resort last week, and on Saturday night windows were smashed as offenders tried to get into the rooms. Just two weeks ago a gang of 20 youths attacked police officers, sparking calls for a snap 72 hour lockdown. Mr Clark posted on Sunday: 'Another machete home invasion. Totally out of control. We are under attack. Where is the police commissioner now? 'Where is the Territory Safety Division that you all bragged about? Does it even exist?' The mother of a murdered 15-year-old schoolgirl who was stabbed 36 times by her jealous ex-boyfriend today spoke of his controlling and toxic behaviour. Keen dancer Holly Newton was on her way home from school and was doing some shopping with friends in Hexham, Northumberland in January 2023. Her obsessed ex Logan MacPhail, 17, was 16 at the time and had ambitions to become a sniper, was 'very unhappy' when their 18-month relationship ended and had been 'stalking' her. When he spotted the 'bright and beautiful' girl with another boy, he followed her for around 45 minutes as he tailed them around the town centre, 'careful not to be seen'. He was so consumed with jealousy that he stabbed her to death in an attack with a kitchen knife in an alleyway, Newcastle Crown Court heard. He slashed her 19 times and caused five 'defensive' injuries in a frenzy which snapped the knife.The night before Holly was killed, her mother was so worried that she contacted the police at 9:40pm, as he had turned up at their home. Henley is known for its Royal Regatta which sees elite rowers from around the world take to the water and race to victory. But yesterday crowds gathered to watch a different type of boat take to the River Thames. A fleet of amphibious vehicles entered the Oxfordshire water as part of the annual Traditional Boat Festival. As they work on both land and water, the amphibious vehicles stunned audiences by launching into the river. One army green car in the water had an extra special crew member - a dog. An army green amphibious vehicle makes its way down the River Thames with a dog onboard A 4WD Dutton Surf amphibious car moves through the water with its driver wearing a classy striped blazer at the wheel The Traditional Boat Festival took place in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. The event dates back to the 1970s when a group of boat owners were concerned about the demise of unpowered craft 'seen neglected and rotting along the River Thames'. Awards for vintage and classic, as well as military and amphibious were introduced - and are still keenly fought for. Nowadays the event also includes a dog show and an air display team. Some of the earliest known amphibious vehicles date back to the 18th century. But the unique mode of transport was further developed during World War II. One of the most significant amphibious cars to come out of the war was the landing vehicle tracked, or the LVT - a tractor developed for the US Marine Corps. The LVT began its operational life as little more than a floating truck, according to Britannica. Crowds watch on in awe as the blue amphibious vehicle effortlessly drives onto land after sailing down the river as part of the Traditional Boat Festival A couple sit in the back of their amphibious car as they make their way down the Thames The driver (or captain) expertly manoeuvers the motor as the car heads under a bridge Two more amphibious vehicles race down the river as passers-by watch from the banks A couple race through the water in their vintage red amphibious car decorated with a British flag A man sits behind the wheel of his amphibious vehicle. A rubber duck dressed as a sailor sits on his dashboard The amphibious vehicles on display at the Thames Traditional Boat Festival were slightly more advanced. One man drove (or captained) a Dutton Surf - capable of reaching a top speed of five knots on the water. Calls are mounting for Sir Keir Starmer to grant Ukraine's request to fire Storm Shadow missiles into Russia. Former Tory MP Bob Seely, who has been sanctioned by Russia for his criticism of Vladimir Putin, urged Labour to give the go-ahead. Sir Keir rebuffed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's request last week to fire Storm Shadow missiles deeper into Russian territory. Mr Zelensky had urged the Prime Minister to 'show your leadership' by removing limits on how the long-range missiles 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. Calls are mounting for Sir Keir Starmer to grant Ukraine's request to fire Storm Shadow missiles into Russia. Pictured: Starmer and Zelensky shake hands during a meeting at 10 Downing Street on July 19 Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting via videoconference on July 19 Former Tory MP Bob Seely (pictured), who has been sanctioned by Russia for his criticism of Vladimir Putin , urged Labour to give the go-ahead Mr Seely, a former soldier, said yesterday: 'I don't quite know the difference between offensive and defensive targets. 'It's rubbish language you either fire missiles inside a country or you don't,' he told the Mail. 'No one is talking about Ukraine invading Russia so this manipulation of language means nothing. Ukraine is hitting justified targets.' Mr Seely also said that the Government should authorise use of the missiles against bases involved in Russian drone attacks. He said: 'If there is a military location which is being used to wage war in Ukraine, that is a viable target.' Meanwhile, former defence minister Tobias Ellwood said: 'Let's not tie Ukraine's hands with caveats placed on British, French and American long-range cruise missile systems that could be pivotal in crippling the Russian war effort in Ukraine.' Mr Ellwood said it was important that the missiles are used responsibly on legitimate targets but added: 'For too long we've been spooked by Putin's threatening rhetoric. Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood (pictured) said: 'Let's not tie Ukraine's hands with caveats placed on British, French and American long-range cruise missile systems that could be pivotal in crippling the Russian war effort in Ukraine' Zelensky became the first foreign leader to attend a meeting of the British Cabinet in person since 1997 last Friday 'As with all dictators, he respects strength and exploits weakness. It's time to rekindle our Cold War state craft and stand firm behind Ukraine.' It came after former prime minister Boris Johnson said in his Daily Mail column on Saturday: 'Over the past two years we have continually willed the Ukrainians the end victory without willing them the means.' Mr Zelensky became the first foreign leader to attend a meeting of the British Cabinet in person since 1997 last Friday. The Ukrainian president urged the British Government to help with Kyiv's 'long-range capability'. But following Cabinet and a one-on-one meeting between Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky, Downing Street said there was 'no change to our position' on weapons. A No10 spokesman said: 'We have been providing military aid to support Ukraine's clear right to self-defence against Russia's illegal acts in accordance with international humanitarian law. Equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine.' Princess Anne has met a student who is hoping to become the youngest person and first woman to row unsupported from Europe to South America. The Princess Royal met Zara Lachlan at a military parade at Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College in Leicestershire. Ms Lachlan, 21, from Cambridge, will attempt to row by herself from Portugal to French Guiana in October, facing the dangers of orcas, sharks and pirates while raising money for Women in Sport, a charity aiming to address gender inequality in sport. The physics student at Loughborough University said she has 'never seen an ocean rowing boat before' and admits she is 'terrified' of the challenge ahead but hopes to inspire others to try things they are afraid of. Ms Lachlan said: 'There will be orcas for the first couple of weeks when I'm coming off Portugal. The Princess Royal met Zara Lachlan at a military parade at Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College in Leicestershire Ms Lachlan (front) has been rowing since the age of 16 and learnt to sail in yachts and dinghy boats last year, but said she does not 'have much experience on the open water' 'There's a pod of orcas down there that sink boats, so I'll be avoiding them, and then sharks when I get into South America. 'I expect 20 to 30ft waves during my crossing and pirates in the middle.' Ms Lachlan has been rowing since the age of 16 and learnt to sail in yachts and dinghy boats last year, but said she does not 'have much experience on the open water'. She hopes to break three world records for youngest person and first woman to row solo and unsupported from Europe to South America and the youngest female to row from any mainland to mainland across the Atlantic solo. Her reason for taking on the record attempt is to encourage more women to take up sport and physical activity after her friends expressed feeling scared going to the gym alone. 'I didn't realise the amount of women that didn't do sport and fitness because they didn't want to start because they were nervous or scared and they didn't want to go to a gym, not know anyone and not know how to use the equipment,' she explained. She said that when she moved to Dublin 'all of the universities get free access to gyms, but all of my friends which are girls had never gone'. 'After I told them about (the challenge), we started working out together and started the process of being active, so now they still go even though I'm not there, which is really nice,' she added. Ms Lachlan will be raising money for Women in Sport which she said is a charity that 'encourages people to learn about their bodies'. She added: 'The biggest drop-offs that women have in activities is when they go through puberty and menopause, when your body changes a lot and you're lacking in confidence. 'They run women-only things and teach you how to do whatever it is that you want to do in a safe place where you're not going to get looked at by anyone.' Ms Lachlan with Princess Anne. The physics student at Loughborough University said she has 'never seen an ocean rowing boat before' and admits she is 'terrified' of the challenge ahead but hopes to inspire others to try things they are afraid of Ms Lachlan, who hopes to become a technical officer in the British Army next year, will row for 15 hours a day over a three-month period and said fatigue will be difficult during the challenge. 'It's three months of being tired physically and mentally and I'll be alone. It will be the first time ever that I've been alone for three months,' she said. 'But I think every person I've spoken to that's done a similar row or challenge by themselves said they found something new about themselves and it changed their life.' The university student said her friends and family have described her as 'mad' for taking on the 'horrible' challenge. 'When I told my mother she cried. I'm the youngest of her children so she was nervous like any parent would be. She's scared but still very supportive,' she said. 'Everyone has said kind things about it but are mainly just confused.' Despite her fears, she plans to take on the challenge with a 'positive' mindset. 'Everything I can control I'm going to be fine in. I'm going to have absolute faith in my boat,' she said. 'But there's not really any point worrying about it. I'm not going to talk to the orcas and say 'don't break my boat please' so I'm just going to go into it with a positive mental attitude. 'Do things that you're scared of. I'm terrified to do it, but I'm really looking forward to it. 'I'm doing something that terrifies me, so if I can do this then you can go to the gym.' A bitter legal battle is primed to erupt between a local council and an architect firm over the beleaguered redevelopment of one of Australia's most famous pools. North Sydney Council on Monday will consider legal action against Brewster Hjorth Architects (BHA) after a series of budget and timeframe blowouts to renovate the historic North Sydney Olympic Pool. Nestled between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Luna Park, the pool was closed in February 2021 for upgrades costing $58million and was due to be finished in late 2022. North Sydney Council now expects the project to be completed in early 2025 at the earliest while the costs have ballooned to an eye-watering $89.1million. The renovation now hinges on the steel roof frame above the 25-metre indoor pool which was delayed yet again after 'significant' design and construction problems saw it torn down in November. The executive summary of a confidential report produced to the council revealed the council had entered into a dispute resolution process over the roof's delay and cost. It had been sparked by the contracted builder disagreeing with the project superintendent's assessment of BHA's project variation in June. However, both parties were unable to reach a middle ground and the council now has the right to escalate the issue to court. 'Council can now commence proceedings against BHA if it wishes to press its claims,' the executive summary reads. North Sydney Council could soon take up legal proceedings against architects over delays and budget blowouts on a renovation project of the historic North Sydney Olympic Pool (pictured) Mayor Zoe Baker said the council meeting will detail the potential matter to be introduced in a claim and instruct the chief executive to take legal action. 'I can't anticipate what the vote will be,' Ms Baker told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'From my personal perspective, this is part of the council's commitment to transparency about the project, and management of the project.' She added that it was the council's 'obligation' to explore its legal options in order to protect the interests of ratepayers. The details of the dispute have been kept confidential and will be heard behind closed doors as it deals with a 'trade secret'. The executive summary also revealed the firm had requested nine new variations to the project's finish date and budget since the last meeting in June. During that same time period, the building contractor had sent the council a number of Requests for Information (RFI) related to 'latent conditions, design, and contractual issues'. 'A total of 39 RFls have been submitted since the last report to Council, taking the total of RFls received on the project to 1,419,' the summary reads. The project has been delayed by over two-years and cost the council more than $89million, which could balloon to up to $110million by completion (pictured, construction on the pool) It followed requests for an extra $1.8million from the council between March and June. Among those costs included more than $138,000 for 'remedial works' to a brick wall and above $226,000 for a 'new electronic substation'. While the 'practical completion' of the project is expected to occur early next year, the council said it would need two to three months to make it operational. The project has been tipped to blow past $100million by its completion, with prior budget expansions forcing the council to take out a $20million loan. Mayor Baker said in February that the loan would push the project to between $105-110million, almost double the originally agreed upon cost. Daily Mail Australia contacted North Sydney Council and Brewster Hjorth Architects for comment. President Joe Biden's youngest brother said Sunday that he believed the 81-year-old was bowing out of the race due to health concerns. Frank Biden made comments to both CBS and ABC News, telling CBS 'in my humble opinion absolutely' the president's health was part of Biden's decision to announce that he wouldn't run for reelection - endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the process. 'Selfishly, I will have him back to enjoy whatever time we has left,' Frank Biden told CBS. He also told ABC News that the decision 'boils down' to Biden's 'overall health and vitality' but also 'beating this genuine threat to our nation in the form of Donald Trump.' But a Biden family source poured very hot water on Frank's claims. 'Frank Biden suffers from alcoholism and hasn't spoken to his brother in weeks,' the source told CBS. 'What he said ... is completely untrue.' Frank Biden, the president's youngest brother, said he believed Biden bowed out of the race due to health concerns Biden is also said to not have made his decision based on his health or age, despite showing signs of cognitive decline. He was in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, battling COVID when he and his closest aides composed the letter announcing he would step aside. Frank Biden has caused tension with the rest of the family for using the president's name when discussing his business. On his brother's inauguration day in 2021, he touted his relationship with the new White House occupant in an advertisement for a law firm where he worked as an advisor. The back-and-forth with Frank came after Hunter Biden put out a statement where he praised his father for being able to 'absorb the pain of countless everyday Americans' after he withdrew from the presidential race.' The 54-year-old first son was spotted near his home in Los Angeles over the weekend before his dad made the extraordinary decision to step aside and endorse Kamala Harris to take on Donald Trump in the November general election. 'That unconditional love has been his North Star as a President, and as a parent. He is unique in public life today, in that there is no distance between Joe Biden the man and Joe Biden the public servant of the last 54 years,' Hunter said in a statement on Sunday night. 'He is unique in public life today, in that there is no distance between Joe Biden the man and Joe Biden the public servant of the last 54 years. 'I'm so lucky every night I get to tell him I love him, and to thank him. I ask all American to join me tonight in doing the same. Thank you, Mr. President. I love you, Dad.' Biden's move throws the presidential race into chaos, but leaves time for Democrats to get their house in order before their August convention. Hunter and his father speak on the phone, and in the weeks since the disastrous debate he has been seen in meetings in the White House and with the president's inner circle. Joe Biden has supported his troubled son through his many battles, including his addiction to crack cocaine and the trial where he was found guilty of three federal gun charges - for which the president has vowed not to pardon him. Frank Biden has caused tension with the rest of the family for using the president's name when discussing his business He joined the rest of Biden's family who immediately showed their support for him after he made the stunning announcement he was dropping his re-election bid. Jill Biden sent him her love, retweeting his letter with two red hearts. Naomi Biden, the Bidens' eldest granddaughter, wrote a long post on X, where she said she was 'proud' of her 'pop,' which is what the grandchildren call President Biden. Biden, 81, who is suffering from COVID, is at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with his wife Jill. They have been holed up there with his closest advisers and they pondered their political future. He had been under tremendous pressure from people in his party to step down after his terrible debate performance against Donald Trump. '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 to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,' he wrote in a letter to the American people. 'Selfishly, I will have him back to enjoy whatever time we has left,' Frank Biden told said. He is pictured with partner Mindy Ward at the White House state dinner with South Korea in April 2023 A Biden family source poured very hot water on Frank's claims. 'Frank Biden suffers from alcoholism and hasn't spoken to his brother in weeks The 54-year-old first son was spotted near his home in Los Angeles over the weekend before his dad made the extraordinary decision to step aside and endorse Kamala Harris to take on Donald Trump in the November general election His family, who was an influential factor in his decision, stood by him. 'Im nothing but proud today of my Pop, our President, Joe Biden, who has served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction. Not only has he beenand will continue to bethe most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented himself as the most effective and impactful public servant in our nations history,' Naomi Biden wrote on X. 'He has been at the center of, and had a material impact on, literally every single major issue that our country and world has faced for 50 years. Our world is better today in so many ways thanks to him. To the Americans who have always had his back, keep the faith. He will always have ours.' Hunter and his father speak on the phone, and in the weeks since the disastrous debate he has been seen in meetings in the White House and with the president's inner circle Joe Biden has supported his troubled son (pictured with wife Melissa Cohen) through his many battles, including his addiction to crack cocaine and the trial where he was found guilty of three federal gun charges - for which the president has vowed not to pardon him Hunter Biden attends a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House on July 3 The first son and his father are pictured on the tarmac at Delaware Air National Guard Base in New Castle, hours after Hunter was found guilty at his federal gun trial Joe Biden endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the nominee. The Democrats will nominate their candidate at their convention next month. The Democratic National Convention is set to kick off August 19 through 22 in Chicago where Biden had been set to formally accept the nomination having received 3,896 delegates during the primaries. Because Biden exited the race before officially becoming the nominee - the more than 3,900 pledged delegates get to cast their ballots in an open convention for whichever candidate they want. They may line up behind Harris, who, because of federal law, is the only candidate that can use the money Biden has raised for the 2024 race. The delegates will hold a vote on the convention floor. If a candidate wins the majority of pledged delegates on the first ballot, they become the party nominee. If no candidate gets a majority, then the so-called nearly 740 superdelegates, also known as automatic delegates, get to vote as well. They include a mix of party members and elected officials. Voting continues until a candidate gets a majority of delegates. Early signs suggest that Kamala Harris has work to do in a massive swing state to keep it from falling into Donald Trump's hands after Joe Biden dropped out of the race. Harris has 107 days to build a campaign around herself to beat Trump after Biden endorsed her Sunday, making the ex-California Senator and Attorney General the presumptive nominee. While she has the backing of Biden and already many of her would-be challengers to the nomination, she also has to find a way to hang on to the several purple states Biden flipped in 2020 to win the race. One of those states, Georgia, now poses a problem for Harris, as a poll taken just prior to Biden dropping out shows her trailing. In a poll conducted from July 9-18 surveying 1,000 Georgians, Trump leads Harris by a 51-46 count. Early signs suggest that Kamala Harris has work to do in a massive swing state to keep it from falling into Donald Trump 's hands after Joe Biden dropped out of the race One percent of those surveyed said they would vote for a third-party candidate, while another two percent are undecided. While that is a poor result for Harris, one thing to hang her hat on is that she polled better than her boss with the same voters. In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, Trump is leading Biden by a count of 48 to 45. While Biden trails Trump by fewer points, Harris starts at a better number and comes out of the poll with a few other positives. Harris polls higher than Biden among both registered Democrats - 92 percent vs. 86 percent - and black voters - 91 percent to 82 percent - both key demographics for the party. However, she begins underwater in terms of favorability, with 42 percent of those polled saying they view her positively and 53 percent having an unfavorable view of Harris. In the same polling, Biden's favorability was at 41 percent vs. 57 percent who view her unfavorably. She also has work to do with independents, where she trails Trump by a potentially fatal 11 points. In a poll conducted from July 9-18 surveying 1,000 Georgians, Trump leads Harris by a 51-46 count Harris has 107 days to build a campaign around herself to beat Trump after Biden endorsed her Sunday, making the ex-California Senator and Attorney General the presumptive nominee Biden defeated Trump by just 11,779 votes in 2020 and is the subject of one of the many lawsuits Trump faces over election interference. Before that, the last Democrat to win the presidential race in the Peach State was Bill Clinton in 1992. The state remains a toss-up electorally, as the GOP still holds the governor's mansion while Democrats now own both Senate seats. Trump has said already that he thinks Harris will be even easier to defeat than Biden. At his first rally after being shot, Trump already tried out a new nickname for her as he saw the writing on the wall for Harris taking over the Democrats' campaign. 'From the moment we take back the White House from crooked Joe Biden and Kamala... I call her laughing Kamala. You ever watch her? She's crazy,' Trump said at his rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday. He added: 'You can tell a lot by laughter she's crazy. She's nuts. She's not as crazy as Nancy [Pelosi].' The former president also took to his Truth Social account on Sunday afternoon to respond to the news that he will no longer face Biden in November. The state remains a toss-up electorally, as the GOP still holds the governor's mansion while Democrats now own both Senate seats courtesy of wins by Jon Ossoff (pictured left) and Raphael Warnock (pictured center) Trump has said already that he thinks Harris will be even easier to defeat than Biden 'Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve - And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement,' he wrote. 'All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn't capable of being President, and he wasn't.' Trump concluded: 'We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly.' Biden was not yet the Democratic Party's official nominee and there is still a short time to replace him before the Democratic National Convention next month and avoid an open convention. The party's nomination event falls August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois. It now appears that Harris will be at the top of the Democratic ticket by the end of that week after primary voters cast their ballots for Biden to be the nominee. Harris was initially furious over reports she was not being considered for the spot but it soon became clear to Democrats she was the best option to replace Biden. Now kicks off the veepstakes for the current VP to choose her No. 2. Among the short list could be the likes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, both previously floated as potential replacements for Biden if he would drop out. A local NBC affiliate in Sacramento, California reported on Sunday that Newsom has abruptly canceled his appearance at the U.S. Ninth Circuit judicial conference scheduled for Monday without any reason given. Trump was among those that speculated former First Lady Michelle Obama would jump in the race and lead the 2024 Democratic ticket. She so far has polled best out of any other potential Biden replacements. But Biden made it clear that he is backing his VP for the 2024 race. 'My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,' the President wrote on X. 'And it's been the best decision I've made.' He added: 'Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this. ' Jacinta Allan's government has been slammed for encouraging biological males who identify as females to participate in a women's pain inquiry. 'Anyone who identifies as a woman' has been urged to take part in the tax-payer funded investigation that is looking into women's issues such as endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome and menopause. The Department of Health website asked for individuals, clinicians, and organisations to share their experiences and knowledge on womens and girls' pain, care, service and treatment in the state's health system. 'The inquiry will report on these experiences and make recommendations that will form the basis for improved patient care,' the page read. Women's advocates said asking those who 'may have a different sex at birth' to make a written submission is 'absurd' and 'making a mockery of women's pain'. Women's Forum Australia chief executive Rachael Wong said women are 'understandably angry' by the move to include biological men. 'It is physiologically impossible for men to experience female health conditions or the pain that comes with them,' she told the Herald Sun. A well-known Victorian surgeon criticised the initiative, saying 'gender affirming care was creating havoc in health care' and that biology needs to be put before identity. Jacinta Allan's government has been slammed for encouraging biological males to participate in a women's pain inquiry The doctor explained that medical professionals who criticise the system can face disciplinary action or even deregistration. Ms Allan launched the Inquiry into Women's Pain in January - with the investigation part of a $153million women's health transformation project. 'Many women in our community know that there is a gendered pain gap,' she said at the time. 'They know that their pain is real and they also know that for too long, that pain hasn't both been believed and received the treatment it needs and deserves through our health system. 'That is why the government is placing a significant amount of attention and resources on this issue, because when we support women's health, we support the health of all Victorians.' The decision to incorporate transgender individuals into the inquiry followed public criticism of the government for perceived exclusivity in its Women's Health Survey last year. Approximately 200,000 women in Victoria suffer from endometriosis A Victorian government spokesman said they will ensure each submission and recommendations is taken seriously. Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue but said the inquiry needs to 'stick to the issue it is supposedly inquiring into'. According to the Victorian government, approximately 200,000 women state-wide suffer from endometriosis, and on average it takes seven years to receive a diagnosis. Around 40 per cent of Victorian women live with chronic pain and one third are affected by debilitating menopause symptoms. Submissions close on July 31. Daily Mail Australia contacted the Victorian government for comment. A woman charged with murder after she allegedly 'deliberately' ran down and killed a woman she knew will remain behind bars as her case proceeds through the courts. Queensland Police charged Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant, 24, with murder after she allegedly struck 23-year-old Kiesha Thompson while driving a silver Toyota Prado about 9am on Friday. Police will allege Ms Thompson was struck while she was walking on a footpath on Allamanda Drive in the Logan suburb of Daisy Hill, 24km south of Brisbane. Ms Thompson was rushed to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition but died in hospital hours later. Police will allege the two women knew each other. Ms Thompson had just dropped her daughter off at daycare moments before the incident when Ms Sant allegedly drove at and struck the young mother. Ms Sant then allegedly fled the scene. The Goodna woman had her matter briefly mentioned for the first time in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday. Police at the scene of a fatal hit and run in Daisy Hill Her solicitor, Thomas Allen, told the court the matter needed to be adjourned to Beenleigh Magistrates Court. The police prosecutor consented to the matter being adjourned to another jurisdiction. Ms Sant was remanded into custody and will appear via video link on July 31. She made no application for bail. In Queensland, a person charged with murder can only make a bail application in the Supreme Court. Outside court, Mr Allen told media he had 'no comment'. 'We will allege that event was not in fact an accident and that lady who lost her life was in fact targeted by another individual,' Detective Inspector Chris Knight told media on Sunday. Police are calling for the driver and passengers to come forward following an unrelated fatal crash 'The young lady who lost her life was a mother, she had dropped her daughter off at daycare. 'It is a gross understatement to say anything other than that family is deeply traumatised.' Ms Sant was arrested in Ipswich after officers seized a silver Prado on Saturday. Police are also continuing their appeal for witnesses to come forward, in particular the driver of a bus and its passengers on Allamanda Drive on Friday. A distraught mother who watched her husband and two-year-old daughter die when they were struck by a train could face deportation in coming days. Anand Runwal, 40, and his wife Poonam, 39, were on a family outing with their twin daughters when the girls' pram rolled onto train tracks at Carlton Station, in Sydney's south, about 12.25pm on Sunday. Mr Runwal heroically leapt down from the platform in a brave attempt to save his daughters but a passing train struck and killed both the father and one of the little girls. The other child escaped virtually unscathed. Mr Runwal and his wife Poonam had just moved from India to Sydney with their twin daughters in October 2023 after he secured a job at an IT firm in North Sydney. Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal Mr Runwal was in Australia on a skilled worker visa, with his wife and children listed on the same visa as dependants. The visa was due to expire on August 1 and Mr Runwal was in the process of having it renewed. Mr Runwal sought advice on Facebook five weeks ago about the process for applying for fast-tracked passports for both he and his wife, as they were needed to apply for the new visa. 'My visa is going to expire on Aug 1 2024, where as my passport has [an] expiry date of Feb 2025,' he wrote. Anand Runwal and wife Poonam Runwal moved to Sydney in October 2023 with their two-year- old twin daughters 'As per my employer, I need to have at least 12 months expiry date from today on my PP to extend my visa.' As Ms Runwal's visa is reliant on her husband's working visa, her right to stay in Australia is now at risk as she grapples with the heartbreaking tragedy. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment. The revelation comes as witness Lauren Langelaar told Daily Mail Australia how the surviving twin - who was rescued from underneath the train - had 'hardly a scratch' on her when she was eventually reunited with her distraught mother. The little girl was released from hospital on Monday morning. Ms Langelaar was working across the road when the tragedy unfolded. She ran to the platform after hearing the mother's screams for help. 'I ran out to help the mother because I could just hear her screaming while looking down onto the tracks,' Ms Langelaar said. 'It all happened very quickly. I was down on the platform helping the mother try and scream out to her children and husband under the train.' Ms Langelaar said a Sydney Trains worker, who was on the platform, called emergency services and explained they could 'only hear one child crying'. The girls' pram rolled onto the railway tracks at Carlton train station in Sydney's south on Sunday The twins' father heroically jumped onto the tracks to try and save his daughters but was struck by a train passing through, killing him and one of the little girls When police arrived, they told Ms Langelaar to hold the mother back while officers jumped onto the tracks. 'As I sat [Ms Runwal] down, the little girl got pulled out of under the train with hardly a scratch on her, she was just crying,' Ms Langelaar said. She said Mr Runwal 'begged' paramedics to hand over her little girl so that she could hold her but was initially denied as they assessed the toddler's injuries. 'She refused at first for paramedics to check her out, she just wanted to hold her,' Ms Langelaar said. 'Then she continued to yell out, "Where is my husband and other child?".' Ms Langelaar said paramedics continued to assess the little girl while she was in her mother's arms as she 'didn't seem to be hurt' and only had a 'slight bump on the back of her head'. The surviving toddler was taken to St George Hospital with her mother where they were assessed by doctors before being released. One woman, Lauren Langelaar, ran to the platform after hearing the mother's screams and had to restrain her as emergency services looked for her husband and children Harrowing CCTV footage showed the family just minutes before the tragic accident Ms Langelaar said one man attempted to wave down the driver to alert him to the danger, but was unsuccessful. 'There was one man who apparently tried to wave the train down telling it to stop, but because it wasn't meant to stop at that station it just had no chance,' she said. NSW Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan said the parents appeared to have taken their hands off the pram for a 'very short period of time' before it rolled towards the tracks. Mr Dunstan said police were investigating what caused the pram to roll and said it could have been something as simple as a 'gust of wind'. NSW premier Chris Minns, who lives within 100m of the station, said the father died while performing an 'extraordinary, instinctual act of bravery'. 'He gave his own life to try and save his children,' he said. Mr Minns described the incident as a 'terrible, terrible tragedy' for the surviving family members and first responders. The Premier did not rule out introducing new measures to prevent similar tragedies from occurring. 'We'll work with NSW trains and police inquiries and if changes need to be made we'll make them,' he said. 'It's too early to say, but I don't want to close the door on any changes we could make. 'Train stations can be dangerous places and we all need to be cognisant of that.' Police closed the station and launched an investigation into what caused the pram to roll onto the tracks Floral tributes were placed at Carlton Railway Station for the hero dad and his little girl who were killed by the train Sydney Trains CEO Matthew Longland said he did not want to speculate on the outcome of the police investigation but said any recommendations to improve safety would be considered. 'Our first priority is to support those involved and to work with the investigation to ensure we have all the appropriate facts so we can fully understand the incident,' Mr Longland said. 'We will consider any recommendations that come out of the investigation. I do want to remind everyone to be particularly safe on platforms when travelling on the rail network. 'Stay behind the yellow line and well clear of the platform edge. Train stations are very dangerous places.' Mr Longland described the scene as 'confronting' and thanked first responders for their efforts. 'Clearly, incidents like this are quite confronting for everyone involved, and I want to thank all the first responders for their efforts in managing such a difficult situation,' Mr Longland said. Sydney Trains CEO Matthew Longland said he did not want to speculate on the outcome of the police investigation but said any recommendations to improve safety would be considered Officers were spotted at Carlton Railway Station on Monday (pictured) as investigations into the tragedy continue Potential new safety measures could include platform screen doors, which have been installed across the new Sydney Metro network (pictured) One potential safety measure could be platform screen doors, which have been installed across the new Sydney Metro network. Each door weights 175 kilograms and has a height of about 2.5 metres, creating a complete barrier between the platform and the track. 'The doors will help increase safety by creating a barrier between the platforms and tracks, allowing customers to move along the platforms more efficiently,' Sydney Metro said. The platform screen doors were vigorously tested before being put into operation for metro services at the start of 2024. China makes all-out rescue, relief efforts after rain-triggered disasters cause severe casualties Xinhua) 09:59, July 22, 2024 A rescuer evacuates a disaster-affected resident at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 21, 2024. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) XI'AN/CHENGDU/BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rainfall has been wreaking havoc across wide swathes of China, causing severe casualties, leaving dozens of people missing, forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate and disrupting traffic. Amid the worst-hit areas, a rescue operation is continuing in southwest China's Sichuan Province, with more than 30 people still missing after flash floods struck Xinhua Village at around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, local authorities said. The disaster disrupted traffic on roads and bridges, and cut off communications in the area. Meanwhile, more than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. As of Saturday afternoon, 12 people have been confirmed dead and 31 others are still missing, according to a press conference held in Zhashui County, in the city of Shangluo, Shaanxi. In addition, 12 people were found dead, and one person was rescued, according to a press conference held in Zhashui County, in the city of Shangluo, on Saturday. Zhao Jing, Party chief of Shangluo, said the rainstorm triggered a flash flood on the Jinqian River in Zhashui at about 8:40 p.m. Friday, causing a 40-meter-long section of the No. 2 Bridge in Yanping Village to collapse. The 366-meter bridge spanning the Jinqian River is a part of the Danfeng-Ningshan expressway. Zhao said that, based on the highway toll system and video surveillance, as well as telephone inquiries, the rescuers concluded that a total of 17 cars and eight trucks had plunged into the river. Rescuers are still searching for 18 vehicles with 31 people aboard along a 60 km stretch downstream from the collapse site, Zhao told the press. The search operation has made use of drones and kayaks. The local authorities have been making contact with family members of the victims, and carried out measures to prevent secondary disasters, while monitoring geographical risks and fighting the flooding in the area. Before the press conference, the participants observed a moment of silence for the victims. The water flow of the river has now slowed to 130 cubic meters per second, with the water level dropping by more than three meters, compared with the level when the bridge collapse occurred, making the conditions conducive to the search and rescue work. Zhao said that six rounds of heavy downpours have lashed the region since the beginning of July, increasing the risk of flooding on five major rivers, with disasters reported in seven counties and districts of the city. A total of 64,278 people have been affected. The local authorities have relocated 37,597 people due to safety concerns. Chinese ministries of finance and emergency management have allocated 260 million yuan (36.62 million U.S. dollars) to support local governments in disaster relief efforts. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Saturday initiated a Level-IV emergency response in three provincial regions involving Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan as the country continues to face severe flooding situations. China's southernmost province of Hainan is on alert for a tropical depression that is forecast to strengthen into a typhoon, making landfall on its eastern coast on Sunday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain over most of the island province and lasting for three days. The local transport and port authorities announced a halt to ferry operations across the Qiongzhou Strait from 9 a.m. Sunday, and wired sailing vessels to take shelter from the wind. Elsewhere in northeast China, the Heilongjiang provincial meteorological observatory on Saturday afternoon issued three red warnings -- the highest level -- for heavy rain, as three cities hit by torrential rain were likely to be lashed by continued rainfall in the next three hours, with cumulative rainfall of 100 millimeters or more. Rescuers evacuate disaster-affected residents at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 21, 2024. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) A rescuer works with a sniff dog at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 21, 2024. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) Rescuers carry out traffic restoration work at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 21, 2024. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) An aerial drone photo taken on July 21, 2024 shows rescuers in operation at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) Rescuers escort a disaster-affected resident during evacuation at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 21, 2024. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) A rescuer operates radar life detector on a river shore at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 21, 2024. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) Rescuers evacuate a disaster-affected resident at Xinhua Village, Malie Township, Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 21, 2024. Rescuers have retrieved eight bodies, found and brought four to safety as of 8 p.m. Saturday, after rain-triggered flash floods in southwest China's Sichuan Province left over 30 missing.(Xinhua/Wang Xi) This aerial photo taken on July 21, 2024 shows the bridge collapse site in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. More than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.(Xinhua/Zhao Yingbo) Rescuers work at the lower reaches of the river near a bridge collapse site in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 21, 2024. More than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.(Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Rescuers work at the site of a bridge collapse in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 21, 2024. More than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Rescuers work at the lower reaches of the river near a bridge collapse site in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 21, 2024. More than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.(Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) Rescuers work at the lower reaches of the river near a bridge collapse site in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 21, 2024. More than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.(Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) This aerial photo taken on July 21, 2024 shows rescuers working at the lower reaches of the river near a bridge collapse site in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. More than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingbo) Rescuers work at the lower reaches of the river near a bridge collapse site in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 21, 2024. More than 700 professional rescuers and over 1,500 local people are searching for 31 people who are unaccounted for after their vehicles plunged into a flooding river due to a highway bridge collapse amid torrential rains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.(Xinhua/Zou Jingyi) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Donald Trump claimed that Joe Biden's positive COVID test was phony, demanded he resign and issued an ultimatum to likely new opponent Kamala Harris. Biden, 81, made the announcement in shocking fashion, simply posting a digitally-signed letter to his social media accounts Sunday afternoon. Trump made a series of posts to his Truth Social account attempting to destroy the narrative around Biden's decision, including the positive COVID-19 test that left the president at home the past few days. He wrote: 'Biden never had Covid. He is a threat to Democracy!' Trump tried to hit home Biden's lack of fitness to run the country for the last six months of his term, saying he 'Who is running our Country right now? Its not Crooked Joe, he has no idea where he is. If he cant run for office, he cant run our Country!!!' Donald Trump claimed that Joe Biden's positive COVID test was phony, demanded he resign and issued an ultimatum to likely new opponent Kamala Harris The former president added that he believes Biden is 'going to wake up and forget that he dropped out of the race today!' Trump then seemingly issued an ultimatum regarding a scheduled debate with likely new election opponent Kamala Harris following Biden's announcement. He appears to have some conditions regarding their tussle, which is currently scheduled for September 10 in a yet to be announced location, that he made clear in a post to Truth Social. 'My debate with Crooked Joe Biden, the Worst President in the history of the United States, was slated to be broadcast on Fake News ABC, the home of George Slopadopolus, sometime in September,' he wrote. Trump is referring to ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, who was not slated to moderate the contest. Fellow ABC News personalities David Muir and Linsey Davis were set to host but now Trump wants a change in network. The former president continued: 'Now that Joe has, not surprisingly, has quit the race, I think the Debate, with whomever the Radical Left Democrats choose, should be held on FoxNews, rather than very biased ABC. Thank you! DJT' Polls are showing mixed signals for Harris, with some overall positives but potential flaws in the key swing states. Trump tried to hit home Biden's lack of fitness to run the country for the last six months of his term National polling averages show Harris trailing Biden 48 to 46 percent, according to the New York Times. That is an improvement on Biden's scores in the same polls, which showed Trump beating him 47-44. In swing states and even states that have turned reliably blue in recent elections, Harris out-polls Biden even when losing. She's within one point - 48-47 - of Trump in Pennsylvania, besting Biden, who was losing 48-45 to Trump. In Virginia, she leads Trump by five points over Biden, who only leads Trump by four percentage points. However, those polls were conducted before the assassination attempt on former President Trump and before Biden dropped out. In a poll conducted from July 9-18 surveying 1,000 Georgians, Trump leads Harris by a 51-46 count, however Harris polled better than Biden among all voters, black voters and Democrats. It comes after Biden announced Sunday afternoon he would not seek reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination. He was isolating with COVID at his $3.4 million holiday home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, when his shrinking inner circle handed him polling data showing he could no longer beat Donald Trump. Trump seemingly issued an ultimatum regarding a scheduled debate with likely new election opponent Kamala Harris following Biden's announcement That was when they composed a letter saying it was time for him to step aside for the good of the future of the Democratic party. Donors had pulled millions of dollars in funds, the list of Democrats telling him to drop out was growing by the day, and polls suggested that his chances of beating Donald Trump were dwindling after his disastrous debate performance. Jill Biden was there when her husband eventually made the historic call, giving into mounting pressure. But a spokeswoman for the First Lady said it was the president's judgment alone, and confirmed he made it late. 'Down to the last hours of the decision only he could make, she (Jill Biden) was supportive of whatever road he chose,' the spokeswoman said. 'Shes his biggest believer, champion, and always on his side, in that trusted way only a spouse of almost 50 years can be.' The question now is what pushed Biden to finally make the extraordinary move that blindsided some of his White House staff and most of the people working on his re-election campaign. On Saturday evening, Biden summoned to his side two men who have been there since his political start: advisers Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon. They have been with him through the best of times - his first years as a senator - and the worst of times - the death of his son Beau Biden in 2015. Already with the president and the first lady were their closest aides Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, who they refer to as 'family.' It was Ricchetti and Donilon who brought with them devastating new data which would help to make up Biden's mind. It comes after Biden announced Sunday afternoon he would not seek reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination Biden announced his historic decision to step aside in a one-page letter where he committed to completing his term, but did not fully endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement They revealed the latest internal campaign polling, taken since the debate, which showed he could no longer beat Trump. Biden's decision was made soon after, and he asked Ricchetti and Donilon to start drafting a letter, and to begin the process of how to make a public announcement, DailyMail.com confirmed. The president also began telling his family. Biden had previously insisted that he would only step aside if he was shown polling that proved Kamala Harris would fare better than him against Trump, or if he developed a 'medical condition'. In the end, it was the first of those developments that sealed his fate. Biden went to bed on Saturday night at the beach house, knowing he would announce his bombshell the next day. At 1:45 pm on Sunday he began calling his senior staff at the White House and the campaign. By that time he had already told Harris and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. At 1:46 pm, his campaign account posted a letter from the president announcing his decision even as he was still on the staff call. Most of his staff both in the White House and at the campaign - were shocked. They learned the news online, getting the alert when the @JoeBiden account posted the president's missive. At 1:45 pm on Sunday he began calling his senior staff at the White House and the campaign. By that time he had already told Harris and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer 'No one had a heads up before the tweet posted,' a campaign staffer told DailyMail.com. 'Which, to me, is an insane way to treat the 1300 people that work for you on the campaign.' It capped a chaotic 48 hours for the Biden family as they hunkered in behind their patriarch with a small, inner circle of longtime aides supporting them. Some were even reporting back to Jill Biden about those staffers deemed disloyal. Meanwhile, Biden had veered from angry at the pressure from his party to acceptance of the situation. And once his final decision was made on Saturday night, the rest moved quickly. Biden called Harris directly to tell her the news. He also had one-on-one calls with White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon, according to reports. He would also speak with his Cabinet, Members of Congress, governors, and supporters. But it all happened so fast many staff were hurt about the way they learned of the news, although they weren't surprised by it. Harris then announced she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. A number of prominent Democrats have already come out in support of Harris including Governors Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, Senator Mark Kelly and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but it is not a done deal. Former Democrat-turned-independent West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has made noise about potentially re-registering with the party to mount a challenge. Regardless, Trump has said already that he thinks Harris will be even easier to defeat than Biden. Biden called Harris directly to tell her the news on Saturday night Trump has said already that he thinks Harris will be even easier to defeat than Biden At his first rally after being shot, Trump already tried out a new nickname for her as he saw the writing on the wall for Harris taking over the Democrats' campaign. 'From the moment we take back the White House from crooked Joe Biden and Kamala ... I call her laughing Kamala. You ever watch her? She's crazy,' Trump said at his rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday. He added: 'You can tell a lot by laughter she's crazy. She's nuts. She's not as crazy as Nancy [Pelosi].' The former president also took to his Truth Social account on Sunday afternoon to respond to the news that he will no longer face Biden in November. 'Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve - And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement,' he wrote. 'All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn't capable of being President, and he wasn't.' Trump concluded: 'We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly.' Biden was not yet the Democratic Party's official nominee and there is still a short time to replace him before the Democratic National Convention next month and avoid an open convention. The party's nomination event falls August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois. It now appears that Harris will be at the top of the Democratic ticket by the end of that week after primary voters cast their ballots for Biden to be the nominee. President Joe Biden, from left, walks with White House deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, White House deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed and White House communications director Ben LaBolt in April Harris was initially furious over reports she was not being considered for the spot but it soon became clear to Democrats she was the best option to replace Biden. Now kicks off the veepstakes for the current VP to choose her No. 2. Among the short list could be the likes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, both previously floated as potential replacements for Biden if he would drop out. A local NBC affiliate in Sacramento, California reported on Sunday that Newsom has abruptly canceled his appearance at the U.S. Ninth Circuit judicial conference scheduled for Monday without any reason given. Trump was among those that speculated former First Lady Michelle Obama would jump in the race and lead the 2024 Democratic ticket. She so far has polled best out of any other potential Biden replacements. But Biden made it clear that he is backing his VP for the 2024 race. 'My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,' the President wrote on X. 'And it's been the best decision I've made.' He added: 'Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this. ' Shocking video captured the moment a Porsche crashed and flipped multiple times at a 'no speed limit' event in Idaho. Two men were injured while the car was racing down a 3.2-mile stretch of Idaho Highway 75 for the Sun Valley Tour de Force on Saturday, reported Idaho Mountain Express. Video shows the black Porsche soaring down the road lined with lush greenery and mountain views when it burst into smoke at the racing event. The car was near the finish line of the track when the crash occurred and flipped several times. 'There was an incident at Sun Valley Tour de Force this morning. Two people were injured,' the organization said. A Porsche crashed and flipped several times while racing down a 3.2-mile stretch of Idaho Highway 75 for the Sun Valley Tour de Force The black Porsche soared down the road lined with lush greenery and mountain views when it burst into smoke 'Out of respect to all, in response to this mornings incident all remaining Sun Valley Tour de Force activities are cancelled.' Witnesses on social media claimed the vehicle was going between 190 to 200 miles per hour. Photos of the wreckage show the destroyed car without its doors, smashed exterior and the engine blown out. The Blaine County Sheriffs Office confirmed Highway 75 was closed at milepost 140 north of Ketchum and deputies were assisting with the crash. Sun Valley Tour de Force is an annual 'no speed limit' event where police shutdown 3.2 miles of state highway at Phantom Hill in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area to race. The car was near the finish line of the track when the crash occurred and flipped several times Two men were injured and the destroyed car lost its doors, smashed exterior and the engine blown out Participants pay nearly $3,500 to drive their vehicles and raise money for charities including The Hunger Coalition, reported the Idaho Statesman. The fastest speed on record at the event is a Bugatti Chiron achieving 253.01 mph. 'Yesterday was a difficult day for all involved in Sun Valley Tour de Force. We could like to thank everyone who has been so helpful and considerate during the past 27 hours,' Sun Valley Tour de Force said. 'Your outpouring of support to the family injured, the offers of donations, and so much more, is a testament to the strength and resilience of our Sun Valley Tour de Force family.' A teenage prankster was shot and seriously injured after he and his friends played ding-dong-ditch at the home of an armed Maine man. Vincent Martin, 30, allegedly opened fire on the group of teenagers after they targeted his house around 1 am on Saturday morning, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said. The group knocked on the door of the Waterford Road home, but before they could rush away, Martin allegedly opened his door and released a barrage of gunshots. One of the teens were struck by a bullet in their calf, seriously injuring them, the Sheriff's Office said. After the group of teenagers targeted his house around 1 am, Vincent Martin, 30, allegedly opened fire on them 'The resident of 91 Waterford Rd, later identified as 30-year-old Vincent Martin of Harrison, produced a handgun and shot at the teens numerous times,' the statement reported. It continued by saying that one of the bullets struck the 'victim in the right calf causing serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.' Upon hearing the sound of multiple gunshots and screams, local law enforcement responded to the scene. There they discovered a trail of blood in the roadway. The injured teenager, whose gender and age haven't been disclosed by investigators, walked into Bridgton Hospital, where they are now in 'stable condition,' according to authorities. Deputies soon located Martin at his house and arrested him. The pranksters knocked on the door of the Waterford Road home, but before they could rush away, Martin allegedly opened his door and released a barrage of gunshots The 30-year-old was taken to Cumberland County Jail, where he was charged with two felonies: elevated aggravated assault and aggravated reckless conduct. The Maine homeowner was also charged with the two misdemeanors counts of discharging a firearm. Martin is now being held on $10,000 cash bail at the county jail. At this point, the investigation remains ongoing. A small boat harbor has claimed three cars in just over a year, igniting a very puzzled response from the local mayor. The Honokohau Small Boat Harbor in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, has a reputation for luring vehicles into its waters - but authorities say the common theme is 'operator error'. In the past year, two unsuspecting motorists launched into the marina while following GPS directions. But the latest incident appears to be just a coincidence when a 33-year-old woman parked her vehicle on the boat ramp while experiencing car trouble on July 13. As officers tried to help her, she drove the car into the water leaving it partially submerged while she escaped. On July 13 around 8 p.m., a 33-year-old woman parked her vehicle on the boat ramp while experiencing car trouble then drove into the water Three vehicles have driven into the water at the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor (pictured) in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in just over a year The incidents have baffled the mayor who has been shocked as each one occurs. 'The first time I heard it, the thought in my head was, "you got to be joking",' said Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth. 'The third was are you serious? This is just another form of people not paying attention to what they're doing.' On April 29, 2023, a tourist driving a Chrysler Town & Country had been trying to find a Manta Ray Snorkel tour company and reportedly took a wrong turn while following their GPS directions. Video captured crew members of a sailboat dive into the harbor and help the female driver of the van escape through the window before carrying her to shallower waters. The other passenger, also a woman, and reportedly the sister of the driver, escaped out the window on the other side of the car. On April 29, 2023, a tourist had been trying to find a Manta Ray Snorkel tour company and reportedly took a wrong turn while following their GPS directions Though the passengers were making active attempts to escape the car, neither looked especially alarmed about what was going on. A few weeks later on May 29, 2023, another woman was following GPS directions when she took a turn down the boat ramp, according to HawaiiNewsNow. The driver said she was following directions and thought she was going through a big puddle when she crossed her 2020 Ford Edge into the water around 8 p.m. Roth said he is working to get the GPS issued figured out because it is not the first time drivers have had these incidents. 'It's getting in touch with Google and all the GPS manufacturers that have their maps. Not just in this incident but tourists going into places that are off limits that they really shouldn't be going to,' Roth said. On May 29, 2023, another woman was following GPS directions when she took a turn down the boat ramp An official with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating & Ocean Recreation said the incidents are 'operator error,' and the boat ramp is 'hard to miss.' A spokesperson from Google told the local news outlet, 'Safety is a top priority, and we're actively investigating which navigation tools and routes were used in these incidents.' 'While we have not yet identified any routes in Google Maps that lead into the harbor, we'll work with local authorities to make updates if necessary to accurately route drivers.' A major migrant caravan is making its way towards the United States, hoping to reach the southern border before the November election out of fear that if former President Donald Trump wins, he may close the border. 'We are running the risk that permits [to cross the border] might be blocked,' said Miguel Salazar, a migrant from El Salvador. He said he worried that a new Trump administration might stop granting appointments to migrants through CBP One, the app migrants use to enter the US legally by getting appointments at U.S. border posts, where they make their cases to officials. The app only works once migrants reach Mexico City, or states in northern Mexico. It is unclear exactly how many migrants - from dozens of different countries - are involved in the caravan, but it is estimated to be anywhere from several hundred to 1,500 or more, according to Breitbart. A major migrant caravan is making its way north to the United States, hoping to reach the southern border before the presidential election in November The group left Sunday from the southern Mexican town of Ciudad Hidalgo, next to a river that borders Guatemala. Some said they had been waiting in the city for weeks, for permits to travel to towns further to the north. Among them was Oswaldo Reyna, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who crossed from Guatemala into Mexico 45 days ago, and waited in Ciudad Hidalgo to join the new caravan - which was announced on social media. He criticized Trump's recent comments about migrants and how they are trying to 'invade' the United States. 'We are not delinquents' he said. 'We are hard working people who have left our country to get ahead in life, because in our homeland we are suffering from many needs.' The group left Sunday from the southern Mexican town of Ciudad Hidalgo, next to a river that borders Guatemala It is unclear exactly how many migrants - from dozens of different countries - are involved in the caravan, but it is estimated to be anywhere from several hundred to 1,500 or more Other migrants are also expected to join the caravan as it travels further north. Migrants trying to pass through Mexico in recent years have organized large groups to try to reduce the risk of being attacked by gangs or stopped by Mexican immigration officials as they travel. But the caravans tend to break up in southern Mexico, as people get tired of walking for hundreds of miles. Recently, Mexico has also made it more difficult for migrants to reach the US border on buses and trains. It remains unclear whether the Mexican government will assist the caravan Travel permits are rarely awarded to migrants who enter the country without visas and thousands of migrants have been detained by immigration officers at checkpoints in the center and north of Mexico, then bused back to towns deep in the south of the country. Yet the country has also provided police escorts to the migrants in the past, and provided them with shelter, food and beverages. It remains unclear whether the Mexican government will assist this caravan. The woman accused of the hit-and-run murder of a young mother can be revealed as a mum-of-three and petting zoo assistant. Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant, 24, is alleged to have deliberately driven her Toyota Landcruiser Prado into Kiesha Thompson, 23, as she was walking home on Friday. Ms Thompson was on the footpath after dropping off her daughter at daycare in Daisy Hill, south of Brisbane, when she was allegedly ran down. Ms Thompson died in hospital that night and police later charged Sant with her murder. Daily Mail Australia can reveal Sant has three young sons and worked at a Brisbane petting zoo. Her social media accounts are filled with selfies and posts about her tumultuous love life, desires for relationships and videos of herself dancing. 'Stuck between wanting my happy ever after and never wanting to loose [sic] what I have,' one post reads. 'How am I supposed to choose when the time comes.' It comes as Ms Thompson's shattered family released a video statement. Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant , 24, (pictured) allegedly murdered Kiesha Thompson, 23, by mowing her down with a car Kiesha Thompson (pictured) was on the footpath after dropping off her daughter at daycare when she was allegedly ran down. Her brother, Koby Torto said his niece was the 'light of (Kiesha's) life' and the family would rally around the young girl following the death of her mother. 'My sister Kiesha had nothing short of a difficult life but in the past couple years, she worked tirelessly to create the best life for not only her but her child, who is the absolute light of her life,' Mr Torto said. 'Her life up to the end was exactly what she wanted but as all good things come, so do bad and she was taken from us. 'I cannot stress enough that her daughter was the absolute light of her life and we're here to support her throughout her whole life.' Ms Thompson's aunt, Amanda Matthias, urged anyone with information about the incident to contact police. 'My niece Kiesha was tragically taken away from us in a horrific and senseless act,' she alleged. 'We are deeply grateful for those who worked tirelessly to save her,' Ms Matthias said. 'We plead to anyone who might have information to help us better solve this case, if anyone else is involved please come forward to police.' Meanwhile, the family plan to set up a GoFundMe to help cover any expenses for Ms Thompson's daughter. Sant (pictured) is a mother of three young boys and works on a pony farm Police will allege she drove around Daisy Hill for a period of time before Ms Thompson was struck Police at the scene of a fatal hit and run in Daisy Hill Keyara Thompson said there were no words for 'the pain of losing' her sister. 'We're struggling with the enormity of her absence in our life and I'm just trying to understand,' Ms Thompson said. 'As we are working to rebuild our live and focus on caring for her daughter, we need support. 'In honour of Kiesha, we are starting a GoFundMe page to ensure that her daughter has the best life possible that we can provide her without her mother. 'Any contributions no matter how big or small will make an enormous change to her daughter's life.' Police will allege the incident was premeditated and Sant was driving the silver 4WD SUV in the area for an extended period of time before the Daisy Hill crash. 'We will allege that that event was not in fact an accident, and the young lady who has tragically lost her life, was in fact targeted,' Detective Inspector Chris Knight told reporters on Sunday. 'For that reason we don't believe that it was an unfortunate, random traffic accident. 'The young lady who lost her life was a mother, she had dropped her daughter off at daycare. 'It is a gross understatement to say anything other than that family is deeply traumatised.' Kiesha's Thompson's shattered family broke their silence on Monday Kiesha Thompson (pictured) worked tirelessly to create the best life for not only her but her child Sant was remanded in custody after her matter was mentioned in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday. Her solicitor, Thomas Allen, told the court the matter needed to be adjourned to Beenleigh Magistrates Court. Sant was not able to apply for bail due to the serious nature of the charge and will will reappear in court via video link on July 31. Outside court, Mr Allen told media he had 'no comment' about the matter. Police said they seized a damaged silver Toyota Prado at Goodna, west of Brisbane on Saturday while the 24-year-old was arrested a few suburbs away at Yamanto. Police described the incident as far from typical but declined to comment on any relationship between the pair. Asked if it was a case of domestic violence, Det Insp Knight said: 'It is not as simple as that.' Police are appealing for dashcam footage and asked the driver, owner or passengers on a white, unbranded bus seen in the vicinity shortly before 9am on Friday to come forward. A man and woman have been rushed to hospital after being hit by a car. The pair were hit by a white Audi outside the East Village Shopping Centre on Gadigal Avenue in Zetland, Sydney, at 11am on Monday. A man in his 50s and a woman in her 30s were treated for suspected spinal and head injuries. They were both taken to St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition. The 19-year-old driver of the Audi was given a breath test at the scene. A negative result was returned. The driver escaped injury. Anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. The immigration detainee accused of bashing and robbing an elderly couple months after he was freed from indefinite detention remains behind bars on remand while he faces a string of charges related to the alleged horrific incident. Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan appeared in Perth Magistrate Court via video link from Albany Regional Prison on Monday over the violent home invasion of Perth couple Ninette, 73, and Philip Simons, 76. The court was told his defence lawyer was waiting for additional information from investigating officers before the matter could proceed. He is accused of pretending to be a police officer to gain entry to the couple's Girrawheen home about 7pm on April 16. The couple were allegedly bound, bashed and robbed by three men. Police will allege Mr Simons opened the door and was immediately pushed to the ground and had his hands tied behind his back. Ms Simons, a grandmother, was allegedly held to the ground and punched in the face several times, causing her to lose consciousness. The group are accused of stealing more than $200,000 worth of jewellery and other items from the couple. Ninette Simons (pictured) was hospitalised after she suffered several injuries during the alleged home invasion at her home Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan appeared in Perth Magistrate Court via video link on Monday He was one of the detainees released from Yongah Hill Detention Centre in Perth last November after a High Court ruling found it was illegal for detainees who could not be deported to be detained indefinitely. On March 22, a court order that required Mr Jamshidi Doukoshkan to remain at a fixed address was discontinued after it had been in place for about one month. Weeks later he was allegedly involved in the horrific crime that took place at the elderly couple's home. Mr Jamshidi Doukoshkan is due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on September 2 as he continues to face a string of charges, including robbery, assault, impersonating a police officer, home burglary, detaining a person to gain benefit and drug possession. A family shattered by tragedy had strived for years to have children before the father and one of his toddler twin daughters were horrifically killed by a train on Sunday. Anand Runwal, 40, and his wife Poonam, 39, were on a family outing with their twin daughters when the girls' pram rolled onto train tracks at Carlton Station, in Sydney's south, about 12.25pm. Mr Runwal heroically leapt down from the platform in a brave attempt to save his daughters but a passing train struck and killed both the father and one of the little girls, Hinal. Her sister Hiya escaped virtually unscathed. Former neighbour Benzin told Daily Mail Australia the couple, who had been together for 14 years, had struggled to build their family before they welcomed their two miracle babies. He described Hinal and Hiya as 'happy, gentle, little girls'. 'I believe they were trying to have kids for about 10 years, they were married a long time and were a happy family,' he said. 'The twins were always in matching outfits. 'They loved coming over and playing with our son - he is four and the girls are two so we would give them a lot of his old toys.' Anand, 40, and Poonam Runwal, 39, had been together for 14 years Benzin described the family as 'very friendly' and said Ms Runwal was a great cook, with the children often spending time at each other's homes. Breaking down into tears, Benzin said it had been difficult to explain to his son what had happened. 'He keeps asking to see the girls. He is only four - it is too hard for him to understand so we have told him they moved back to India,' he said. 'When we heard the news yesterday, I checked WhatsApp and saw Anand hadn't checked WhatsApp since 11.30am. 'And then we went past their place to see if they were home. When we knocked on the door and there was no answer, we knew it wasn't good news.' In February, Ms Runwal, originally from Rajasthan, and Mr Runwal, who grew up in Bangalore, celebrated their 14th anniversary. Sharing a photo of the couple at Camp Cove Beach at Watsons Bay in Sydney's eastern suburbs, Ms Runwal wrote: 'Happy Anniversary my everything.' Other posts online reveal the family had been making the most of their time in Australia, frequently hiring cars and drivers for weekends out of Sydney, including to Kiama on the south coast and the Hunter Valley. Hinal (left) and Hiya (right) Runwal Friends of the family have revealed they spent almost a decade trying to have kids before welcoming their miracle twins The revelation comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed Ms Runwal and Hiya could face deportation in coming days in the wake of the tragedy. The family moved to Sydney from India in October 2023 after Mr Runwal secured a job at an IT firm in North Sydney, with Ms Runwal and the girls listed as dependants on his skilled workers visa. The visa was due to expire on August 1 and Mr Runwal was in the process of having it renewed. Mr Runwal sought advice on Facebook five weeks ago about the process for applying for fast-tracked passports for both he and his wife, as they were needed to apply for the new visa. 'My visa is going to expire on Aug 1 2024, whereas my passport has [an] expiry date of February 2025,' he wrote. 'As per my employer, I need to have at least 12 months expiry date from today on my passport to extend my visa.' As Ms Runwal's visa is reliant on her husband's working visa, her right to stay in Australia is now at risk as she grapples with the heartbreaking tragedy. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment who are investigating the case. The family had just arrived on the platform, after taking a lift down from the station, when the pram rolled onto the tracks. Witnesses said Mr Runwal heroically leapt into action and jumped down onto the tracks in a desperate bid to save his daughters. He was attempting to lift the pram back onto the platform when he was struck. The twins' father heroically jumped onto the tracks to try and save his daughters but was struck by a train passing through, killing him and one of the little girls Lauren Langelaar was working across the road when the tragedy unfolded. She ran to the platform after hearing the mother's screams for help. 'I ran out to help the mother because I could just hear her screaming while looking down onto the tracks,' Ms Langelaar told Daily Mail Australia. 'It all happened very quickly. I was down on the platform helping the mother try and scream out to her children and husband under the train.' Ms Langelaar said a Sydney Trains worker, who was on the platform, called emergency services and explained they could 'only hear one child crying'. When police arrived, they told Ms Langelaar to hold the mother back while officers jumped onto the tracks. 'As I sat [Ms Runwal] down, the little girl got pulled out of under the train with hardly a scratch on her, she was just crying,' Ms Langelaar said. She said Mr Runwal 'begged' paramedics to hand over her little girl so that she could hold her but was initially denied as they assessed the toddler's injuries. 'She refused at first for paramedics to check her out, she just wanted to hold her,' Ms Langelaar said. One woman, Lauren Langelaar, ran to the platform after hearing the mother's screams and had to restrain her as emergency services looked for her husband and children Floral tributes were placed at Carlton Railway Station for the hero dad and his little girl who were killed by the train 'Then she continued to yell out, "Where is my husband and other child?".' Ms Langelaar said paramedics continued to assess the little girl while she was in her mother's arms as she 'didn't seem to be hurt' and only had a 'slight bump on the back of her head'. The surviving toddler was taken to St George Hospital with her mother where they were assessed by doctors before being released. NSW Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan said the parents appeared to have taken their hands off the pram for a 'very short period of time' before it rolled towards the tracks. Mr Dunstan said police were investigating what caused the pram to roll and said it could have been something as simple as a 'gust of wind'. NSW premier Chris Minns, who lives within 100m of the station, said the father died while performing an 'extraordinary, instinctual act of bravery'. 'He gave his own life to try and save his children,' he said. John Lewis has announced it will start selling actor Stanley Tucci's cookware brand as the department store tries to reclaim middle class customers. The new brands will include pots and pans from the award-winning actor as part of the drive to 'reinvigorate' its shops and win back Middle England. The GreenPan range - which includes pans costing 200 - launched after Tucci made a name for himself in cooking during the pandemic, posting viral videos making meals. The retailer has already brought in 130 new homeware brands in the past year, so this new push will mean more than 160 extra will be stocked by the autumn. There will be 36 new lighting, kitchenware and furniture brands in September, The Telegraph reported. The 95-year-old John Lewis Partnership has floundered in recent years, racking up a 234million loss in 2022. John Lewis announced it will start selling actor Stanley Tucci's cookware brand as the department store tries to reclaim middle class customers from Marks & Spencer The new brands will include pots and pans from the award-winning actor as part of the drive to 'reinvigorate' its shops and win back Middle England John Lewis's home division head Camilla Rowe told the newspaper this is part of plans to 'significantly grow the business'. But the move is likely a drive to win customers from M&S, known for selling clothing and food, but also sells kitchenware and lighting. John Lewis is already dominant in the home goods area and this expansion will be perceived as an attempt to push this advantage. The scale of spending is expected to be significant, with around 180 improvements being made across its homeware department. At the Oxford Street shop alone, John Lewis is understood to be spending almost 1million on the revamp. Rival retailer M&S also recently boasted of luring supermarket shoppers away from Waitrose - which is owned by the John Lewis partnership. A view of Stanley Tucci Cookware on display during its launch The Tucci cookware includes pots ranging from 169 to 200 The Telegraph reported that the new drive is the work of the new executive director Peter Ruis who joined at the beginning of the year, tasked with reviving the stores. Along with adding more floor staff to increase the level of customer service, he also pointed out home goods is an area for improvement. It comes after John Lewis revealed a pre-tax profit of 56million, compared to a 234million loss the year before - the first annual profit it has recorded since Covid. It also follows John Lewis reviving its fashion ranges to woo Middle England. It is also pinning hopes on services including clothes rental and free personal styling to entice younger shoppers, and last month the partnership hired Rachel Morgans as director of fashion. The retailer has been vying with rivals M&S and Next, who have boosted the array of big names available to shoppers. The September launch of John Lewis's autumn and winter range will include Princess Beatrice's favourite label Kooples and the trendy Danish brand Numph. At the Oxford Street shop alone, John Lewis is understood to be spending almost 1million on the homeware revamp Rival chain M&S recently boasted of luring supermarket shoppers away from Waitrose - which is owned by the John Lewis partnership Although John Lewis sales were down four per cent in 2023, the fashion figures were up, helping its department stores hit a record 13.4million customers. It comes as the Marks & Spencer clothing and home segment has been increasing its lead over the John Lewis department store. M&S increased its slice of this market to 3.7 per cent from 3.4 per cent in 2019 and as little as 2.6 per cent in 2020 during Covid lockdowns, according to analysis seen by The Mail this year. In contrast, John Lewis's share has been broadly flat over the past five years. It held on to a 2.3 per cent slice last year after it dropped from 2.4 per cent in 2022. And analytics firm Global Data forecasts that M&S will have 3.9 per cent of the market by 2027 with John Lewis still at 2.3 per cent. Mountain rescuers have issued a warning after constantly trudging up to rescue hikers suffering panic attacks. Tryfan - a mountain in the Ogwen Valley, in Eryri (Snowdonia) - literally translates into 'very high peak' in English. It's one of the most recognisable peaks in Britain - but amateur mountaineers who undertake the trek are freezing up at the daunting height. This means the Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team has dealt with rescues involving 'a number of panic attacks' recently. Locals have blamed social media for encouraging Gen-Z explorers to tackle hiking challenges they're not prepared for. It comes after Eryri rangers told people to stop posting about the mountain range last year as they struggled to cope with the influx of visitors after the pandemic. TikTokers are sharing videos encouraging others to tackle steep climbs in Snowdonia - but novice walkers have been shocked by its difficulty Locals have blamed social media for encouraging Gen-Z explorers to tackle hiking challenges they're not prepared for There has been an influx of TikTokers filming climbing mountains and encouraging others Tryfan is one of the most most recognisable peaks in Britain. But amateur mountaineers who trek up the mountain are freezing up at the daunting height Tryfan - a mountain in the Ogwen Valley, in Eryri (Snowdonia) - literally translates into 'very high peak' in English Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team has been called out 96 times this year. The latest operation involved saving a walker who was unable to move near the summit of Tryfan because they were having a panic attack. The volunteer group said it had attended a number of similar incidents recently. On July 12, it rescued a group of four who were stuck 600ft from the top and helped them climb down. Posting a message to visitors, the organisation said: 'The team have dealt with a number of panic attacks on Tryfan recently. 'Tryfan has considerable exposure with lots of climbing over or around ridges and edges. Will any of you be overly-affected by this? 'Tryfan is difficult to navigate over in a traditional manner, especially in poor weather. Are you able to navigate and relate map to ground?' Walkers having a break by a track in Ogwen Valley with the view to Mount Tryfan Crowds of walkers queue to reach Snowdon's summit after social media There has been a surge in visitors to the national park, in part encouraged by widespread social media posts about the area 'There is no straight line to the car park don't be tempted to descend gullies just because you can see the valley floor.' Some walkers have slipped to their death in the past, or got stuck descending gullies, believing them to be the path back down. In May, a man walking with his two brothers died while hiking on Tryfan as he fell to his death on the Y-Gully section. A father believed to be from Exeter and in his early 60s also fell while in the North Gully and sadly died in 2017, while out climbing with his daughter. He fell a 'considerable' distance and was airlifted to hospital but was declared dead. It follows a surge in visitors to the national park, in part encouraged by widespread social media posts about the area. In August 2021, there was a huge surge in climbers which led to a 45-minute queue at the summit. Many were believed to be staycationers looking for adventures at home after Covid travel rules ruined foreign holidays for families. The trend has continued as Instagram users seek to emulate perfect pictures from dangerous mountains and beauty spots. Some of the most Instagrammable locations are off the beaten track - with nature chiefs claiming previously unheard-of footfall is causing erosion to the natural landscape. Kremlin figures have been revelling in Joe Biden's decision to quit the US presidential election race, while also taking aim at new Democrat frontrunner Kamala Harris. 'There have been some statements which were full of unfriendly rhetoric towards our country,' Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said of the American Vice President. Russian politicians and diplomats have also used the dramatic turn of events to spout anti-West propaganda. Speaking during a visit to Cuba, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin claimed that Biden 'has created problems all over the world and in his own country.' The former Putin aide argued that Biden should be held accountable 'for the war unleashed in Ukraine, the destruction of the economies of European states, the sanctions policy against Russia and other countries.' He added that the American leader, who was up against Republican nominee Donald Trump, made the decision to bow out after 'seeing that he will not be elected' and is now 'running away without waiting for the elections.' US President Joe Biden, speaks during a presidential debate with Republican candidate Donald Trump State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin (right with Vladimir Putin) claimed that Biden 'has created problems all over the world While many world leaders have praised Biden's record in office and decades as a public servant, allies of Putin have responded to the news with criticism and sarcastic comments. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram: 'Joseph Biden said that he is leaving the presidential race. But he did not say where exactly.' She added that 'the next step' after Biden's announcement 'should be an investigation into the collusion of the American media and political circles that concealed the true state of affairs about his mental state, manipulating public opinion and playing into the hands of one political party.' Kremlin spokesman Peskov insisted in an earlier statement that the Russian president's focus is the war, not the US elections. However, he added that 'the elections are still four months away, we need to pay attention and watch what happens next.' Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Biden for his 'leadership and support' after the US President recently announced a $225 million weapons package for his embattled country. This included a Patriot system to bolster its air defenses against a deadly onslaught of Russian airstrikes. Writing on X, Zelensky said: 'Ukraine is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine's fight for freedom, which, along with strong bipartisan support in the United States, has been and continues to be critical. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Biden for his 'leadership and support' 'Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times. And we respect today's tough but strong decision.' For top Democrats, a catalyst for Biden's fall from grace top came with his apparent implosion during last month's TV election debate. Pro-Kremlin media outlets and commentators taunted Washington over the president's performance, which saw him stumble over his words and lose his train of thought. The Kremlin itself also appeared to belittle the election showdown - with Putin's spokesman claiming the dictator was too busy to wake up to watch the debate. Putin rarely comments on elections in the US, and has previously vowed to 'work with any US leader' 'I don't think you would expect that the President of Russia could set an alarm clock, wake up in the morning and watch a debate in the United States,' said his spokesman Peskov. 'After all, this is not an event on our agenda.' Putin rarely comments on elections in the US, and has previously vowed to 'work with any US leader'. Back in February, he said that Biden was a more preferable candidate for Russia, as he is 'a more experienced, predictable politician of the old school.' But he blasted America's judicial and political systems in May following Trump's felony conviction, saying it was being used by the former president's enemies to damage his chances of re-election. Radical anti-tourist protests led by 'hypocritical' activists which have seen holidaymakers attacked with water pistols have divided Barcelona, but residents say this isn't the answer to solving the issue that is 'killing' their city. The rowdy demos in Spain's second city are part of a wave of increasingly fraught protests across the country's mainland and islands against the ever rising tide of tourism. Tourists in Barcelona have been forced to cower and flee from restaurants and bars on the famous La Rambla as they were taunted and fired at with water. The reaction to the high profile demo has been divisive among residents. Some support the protests and are calling for further demonstrations to force authorities into taking action to reduce tourism which they said was 'killing' local neighbourhoods and forcing residents out as companies cashed in by converting buildings into tourist flats. Protesters shoot water from water guns at tourists during a protest against mass tourism in Barcelona, Spain, July 6, 2024 Demonstrators put a symbolic cordon on a bar-restaurant window during a protest against mass tourism on Barcelona's La Rambla alley Protesters squirted water guns at tourists eating in popular spots in the city. The Catalan capital received more than 12 million tourists in 2023 and expects more in 2024 However, others say it's unfair and cruel to target individual tourists when the real problem is investors buying up property for holiday lets. Manuel Roman Campos, 49, a translator who lives in Barcelona, did not support drenching tourists. 'I don't think it is really fair to blame and annoy individual tourists for this global problem. We were all tourists at one time or another. But let's not overdo it. It was water pistols during a demonstration, not a real attack,' he said. 'I am against this demonstration but the problems we face due to mass tourism are much bigger because they mean people cannot live in their own towns. 'Mass tourism is killing the neighbourhoods, here in Barcelona, as well as throughout the world. He added: 'But our real enemies are vulture funds that buy whole buildings no matter who lives there and slowly throw tenants out. 'It is not as simple as saying there is 'tourism phobia' in Barcelona and we hate tourism. No, what we hate is the huge corporations taking away our neighbourhoods and our lives.' Catherine Newton, 51, a teacher who is from Edinburgh but who has lived in Barcelona for 22 years, said tourism was 'out of control'. 'I have watched tourism grow every year and the situation is out of control. Local people cannot afford to live in their own city,' she said. 'The hotel and the tourism industry make billions every year and should reinvest in the city by example investing in social housing. There needs to be a long term solution to reduce tourism so local people can claim their city back.' Catherine Newton, 51, a teacher who is from Edinburgh but who has lived in Barcelona for 22 years, said tourism was 'out of control' Ariadna Coten, 56, economist, called for Spanish authorities to take action to reduce tourism Helena Roura, 31, a voice actor, said: 'I think this was a necessary protest to show nationally and internationally the problem that we have had for some time in Barcelona' Joan Manel del Llano, 46, biologist, said: 'I support the demonstration against mass tourism and I hope there are many more. What is at stake is the future of the city' Ariadna Coten, 56, economist, called for Spanish authorities to take action to reduce tourism. 'I think it was necessary to demonstrate against mass tourism and its effects on the people who live here,' she said. 'The total inaction of authorities meant people went out on the streets to show they are sick of it. But it is also happening in Palma, Malaga and the Canary Islands where their population is demonstrating against an industry which we are suffering from.' Helena Roura, 31, a voice actor, said: 'I think this was a necessary protest to show nationally and internationally the problem that we have had for some time in Barcelona.' 'The impossibility of affordable housing, the robbery that is renting, the evictions and the pollution which we suffer are shameful. 'Even more shameful is that they call us ungrateful. What idiot would be grateful for this?' Joan Manel del Llano, 46, biologist, said: 'I support the demonstration against mass tourism and I hope there are many more. What is at stake is the future of the city.' Others called for diverting tourists from the city centre. Jordi Miras Llopart, 47, communicator and cultural manager, said: 'Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in Europe but tourism has saturated some areas which affects the heritage and the quality of life of some of its citizens and tourists. 'To improve the situation, we must diversify tourism to other parts of the city and other parts of Catalonia.' A restauranteur, who did not want to give her name, told Mailonline: 'I would say 90% of these protesters are hypocritical as they all go on holidays. Demonstrators hold a sign reading 'Barcelona is not for sale' during a protest against mass tourism on Barcelona's Las Ramblas alley on July 6 Thousands of people are protesting in downtown Barcelona against the city's tourist overcrowding earlier in July Protesters in Barcelona have told tourists that they are not welcome in the city 'A huge majority of Spaniards do not think the same as these protesters. It is the political mismanagement that is to blame and anti-tourist feeling is easy to stir. ' Mateu Hernandez, director general of the Barcelona Tourism, said the demonstration was a 'failure'. 'In other places tens of thousands demonstrated in the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and Malaga. Here there were only 2,800,' he said. 'And a minority of protesters behaved themselves in a shameful way. They behaved in a hostile way in a city which is friendly to tourists.' Mr Hernandez said a survey among 2,000 people carried out by the Barcelona Council last year found 71% said they thought tourism was 'beneficial' for the city. However, 23% said it was bad for the city. One restaurant owner called the demonstrators 'hypocrites' as they all go on holiday like other tourists. The demonstration in Barcelona earlier this month comes amid a spate of protests in popular tourist destinations like the Canary Islands, Majorca, Malaga, Cadiz and Madrid against the tourist industry, which accounts for 13% of Spain's GDP. Under the slogan 'Less Tourism, More Life', protesters staged another protest in Majorca on Sunday. Twelve million people visited the Catalan capital last year. Canary Island natives protest as they call for a rethink of the island cluster's tourism policies Thousands of people demonstrate against tourism policies on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain on April 20, 2024 Barcelona's mayor, Jaume Collboni, announced a plan in June to phase out all short-term lets by 2028, an unexpectedly drastic move by the authorities who seek to rein in soaring housing costs and make the city liveable for residents. He said the city has a 'firm' commitment to limit mass tourism, including by introducing a tourist tax and turning more than 10,000 tourist flats into into residential buildings. 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,' and 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. 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. President Joe Biden finally caved to pressure to drop out of the presidential race after a closed door meeting with his tight inner circle of his wife Dr Jill Biden and their four closest advisers. Joe, 81, was at his beach home on Sunday with Jill and their closest aides - chief strategist Mike Donilon, counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti, White House deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, and Anthony Bernal, senior adviser to the first lady - when he announced his decision to decline the Democratic Party's nomination and offered his endorsement to his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris. The First Lady, 73, has been hailed as Joe's 'closest adviser' and the 'only person who has ultimate influence with him', as well as a driving force in his decision to keep campaigning despite his ailing health. She has spent the last few months trying to help Joe salvage his campaign by coming to his rescue at public events, including after his car-crash TV debate with Donald Trump last month that saw her escort the confused president off the stage. Jill was accused by critics of 'elder abuse' and being a power-hungry wife and pushing her elderly husband to run for re-election so she can keep the White House lifestyle. But despite his poor performance in the 90-minute TV contest, she went on to reaffirm the family's stance on his campaign, claiming Joe was 'the only person for the job' of commander-in-chief, and tried to rally support for him among Democrats. Dr Jill Biden has loyally stood by her husband's side throughout his political career, acting as his 'closest adviser' and defending him in the face of public scrutiny. Joe and Jill Biden are pictured together in June last year The First Lady, 73, has spent the last few months trying to help Joe salvage his campaign by coming to his rescue as his ailing health has taken center stage. She was seen escorting the confused President, 81, off the stage (pictured) last month following his car-crash debate with Donald Trump Jill has stood by Joe throughout his decades-long political career, which saw him serve as a Delaware senator, Vice President to Barack Obama and now as commander-in-chief. She was by his side at the beach house on Sunday, along with four of the couple's closest advisers, when Joe officially dropped out of the race, sources familiar with the situation have claimed. Ricchetti and Donilon had brought with them devastating new data which would help to make up Joe's mind, DailyMail.com previously revealed. They said the latest internal campaign polling, taken since the debate, showed he could no longer beat Trump. Joe's decision was made soon after, and he asked Ricchetti and Donilon to start drafting a letter, and to begin the process of how to make a public announcement, DailyMail.com confirmed. The president also began telling his family. He also made separate phone calls to Harris, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, and his campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon to inform them of his decision, NBC reported - which analysts claim shows that his circled had 'tightened' in recent days to just his family, closest aides and longtime advisers. Jill later issued a sign of support for his decision by posting two hearts as she retweeted his letter declaring he had dropped out of the race. Elizabeth Alexander, Jill's communications director, claimed that even 'down to the last hours of the decision', the First Lady 'was supportive of whatever road he chose'. But Jill's role in the Joe's candidacy has come under serious scrutiny in recent months amid growing fears over Joe's age deterioration. Analysts have claimed that she is one of Joe's 'top advisers' and can 'wield the most influence' over him. 'It's fair to call her Biden's closest adviser,' veteran Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkop said of Jill earlier this month, telling the BBC: 'Family matters to him significantly and that makes Jill Biden's role even more important.' Also among his closest confidants are the President's younger sister Valerie Biden Owens, 78, and 54-year-old son Hunter Biden, a crack addict, alcoholic and convicted felon whose scandals have dogged his father's long political career. Jill has stood by Joe throughout his decades-long political career, which saw him serve as a Delaware senator, Vice President to Barack Obama and now as commander-in-chief. The couple are pictured together in the 1970s On Sunday, Jill Biden issued a sign of support for his decision by posting two hearts as she retweeted his letter declining to accept the Democratic Party's nomination Joe Biden announced his historic decision to step aside in a one-page letter posted to X on Sunday where he committed to completing his term, but did not fully endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement until a follow-up social media post Jill particularly raised eyebrows especially after Joe's performance during his debate with Trump, 78, which saw him stumbling over his words and losing his train of thought several times. The First Lady was seen carefully helping Joe off the debate stage before congratulating him for 'answering all the questions', which some observers criticized for the low bar he cleared. A day after he struggled through the 90-minute contest, Jill admitted to supporters that her husband is 'not a young man', but said she only offered words of reassurance following the ordeal. 'After last night's debate, he said, 'You know, Jill, I don't know what happened. I didn't feel that great,'' she recalled, according to New York Times reporter Katie Rogers. 'I said, 'Look, Joe, we are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that you've been president.'' Additionally, as fellow Democrats call on Joe to accept that he was too old to serve a second term, Jill remained firm on her stance, saying 'No' to the idea of her husband pulling out of the race. 'Joe isn't just the right person for the job,' she told donors New York last month. 'He's the only person for the job.' First Lady Jill Biden helped her husband walk off stage in October 2023 after the couple gave keynote speeches at the Human Right's Campaign dinner The First Lady rushed to his side in January, at the end of his first campaign speech of 2024, as he seemed to be completely zoned-out. Joe had just concluded his remarks when he turned to leave the stage only to have Jill rush up, take him by the hand and escort him off stage Jill stayed close by her husband as the post-debate drama unfolded, campaigning with him in North Carolina, New York and New Jersey. She then broke off for some solo campaigning before she reunited with him at the White House for the Fourth of July. She stood in for him again two weeks on a swing through North Carolina, Florida and Georgia that was intended to rally support from veterans and military families but was also part of the Biden team's broader effort to try to steer the conversation back toward Trump. She told the crowds she supported Joe's decision to stay in the race and reiterated that he has 'made it clear that he's all in'. 'That's the decision he's made. And just as he has always supported my career, I am all in too. I know you are too, or you wouldn't be here today,' she said at all three stops. Amid the follow-out from the debate, Joe huddled with his family at Camp David and discussed his campaign, with his loved ones urging him to remain in the race. Sources familiar with the family meeting alleged that Joe would only listen to Jill. 'The only person who has ultimate influence with him is the first lady,' the insider told NBC News at the time. 'If she decides there should be a change of course, there will be a change of course.' In March this year, Jill had to emerge on stage and tug on a confused Joe's arm when he was seemingly about to plant a kiss on the cheek of another blonde woman - who, like Jill, has wearing a blue suit It was also claimed that this time, however, Hunter was the one to speak up most fervently for his father, adamantly urging him to stay in the race. The rest of the Biden family were more attempting to be supportive and wanted to know what they could do to help if the president kept going. But Jill, whose former press secretary Michael LaRosa has claimed she is a powerful figure in Joe's tight circle of family members and senior advisers but is not a 'political decider', was met with extreme scrutiny for not telling him to step aside. Some Republicans even went as far as accusing Jill of 'elder abuse.' Married to Jill for 47 years, Joe has heavily on his wife as he battles to overcome doubts about his mental acuity. She rushed to his side in January, at the end of his first campaign speech of 2024, as he seemed to be completely zoned-out. Joe had just concluded his remarks when he turned to leave the stage only to have Jill rush up, take him by the hand and escort him off stage. Jill has had to interject and come to Joe's rescue throughout his presidency, including once in March when she had to emerge on stage and tug on a confused Joe's arm when he was seemingly about to plant a kiss on the cheek of another blonde woman - who, like Jill, has wearing a blue suit. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., with Jill Biden, gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill to announce his decision to withdraw as a candidate for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk along the beach at the Carbis Bay Hotel and Estate for the G7 welcome ceremony Friday, June 11, 2021 in St. Ives, Cornwall, England She has also been quick to rally to her husband's side, sometimes physically. During the 2020 presidential campaign, a man tried to cross into the roped-off area near Joe. In a flash, Jill crossed behind her husband and put her arms around the man, turned him around and helped push him away. A month later in Los Angeles, she similarly blocked one protester, then a second one, who had stormed the stage while Joe was delivering his Super Tuesday victory speech. Jill has frequently said that it took her some time to decide to marry Joe. The then-senator proposed to Jill five times before the couple married in 1977. Joe's relationship with Jill began after his first wife and daughter died in a car crash that injured his two sons. 'I knew that whatever I chose my life would change forever,' Jill previously said of her decision to marry Joe. 'Of course I would no longer be single. But I would become the mom to two young boys, Beau and Hunter, overnight. And becoming a senator's wife would mean a life in the spotlight.' She continued to support Joe throughout his career, but did play a key role in his decision not to run for president in 2004. When a group of visiting political advisers sought to persuade then-Senator Joe to make a bid for the White House, his wife Jill sat poolside at their home, fuming. Joe Biden and Dr Jill Biden are pictured together as he is sworn in as the 46th US President by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on January 20, 2021 Then-Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill attend the Southern Ball Jan. 20, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington Finally, she took action and drew the word 'NO' in ink in large letters on her stomach and 'marched through the room in my bikini,' she wrote. He decided against running that time around. The anecdote, laid out by Jill Biden in her 2019 autobiography, 'Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself,' makes plain that she hasn't always liked the idea of her husband running for president. But she later came around to the idea and in 2016, when he was campaigning for the Oval Office, Joe told 60 minutes 'it was the right decision for the family'. Jill has also been the first presidential spouse to work outside the White House. Throughout her husband's presidency she has maintained her role as a professor of English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has taught since 2009. Dozens more flights were cancelled at airports across England today as children were left 'very upset' as services recover from last Friday's major global IT outage. Ten flights were axed at Heathrow today as well as 11 at London City, ten at Gatwick and six at Manchester as airlines battled to try to get schedules back to normal. A total of 38 flights were cancelled at England's airports throughout the day, with British Airways and easyJet making up the majority with 18 and 10 respectively. Arrivals from European cities such as Rome, Berlin and Zurich were among those axed as were others from Jamaica and US cities including Las Vegas and New York. Among those suffering disruption today was Rich Rhodes whose 1pm BA flight from Heathrow to Miami was axed. He tweeted: 'Got an email saying it's cancelled and I've been rebooked, but no trace on new flight. Travelling with seven-year-old, help!' A further passenger said their 6.05am Tui flight from Gatwick to Thessaloniki was 'cancelled upon checking in suitcases'. He added: 'Three very upset children at 4am.' Also impacted was Giuli Cavaliere from London who posted on X: 'EasyJet, our flight has been cancelled two hours before departure. There's no flight today and for some reason we can't book a flight tomorrow. We also can't contact you on your customer service. What kind of a service is this? What about the duty of care to customers?' It comes as NHS England warned of 'delays' to services but insisted that patients having appointments this week 'should continue to attend unless told not to'. Are you affected by flight disruption today? Please email: tips@dailymail.com Passengers queue at check-in gates for British Airways flights at London Gatwick this morning Departing passengers face a long wait for check-in this morning at London Gatwick Airport Airline passengers wait in a queue at London Heathrow Airport's Terminal Three this morning A flawed update rolled out by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike knocked many services offline around the world on Friday, causing flight and train cancellations and crippling some healthcare systems. Full list of 38 cancelled flights at airports in England today GATWICK (x10) Arrivals 0110 Chania (easyJet) 0110 Pafos (easyJet) 0115 Faro (easyJet) 0145 Larnaca (easyJet) 0750 Aberdeen (easyJet) 1120 Bilbao (easyJet) 1420 Berlin (easyJet) 1545 Belfast (easyJet) Departures 0605 Thessaloniki (Tui) 0645 Bilbao (easyJet) HEATHROW (x10) Arrivals 0820 New York (British Airways) 1120 San Francisco (Virgin Atlantic) 1230 Lyon (British Airways) 1330 Bologna (British Airways) 1435 Rome (British Airways) Departures 0655 Munich (Lufthansa) 0755 Lyon (British Airways) 0800 Bologna (British Airways) 0820 Rome (British Airways) 1300 Miami (American Airlines) LONDON CITY (x11) Arrivals 0805 Glasgow (British Airways) 1015 Dublin (British Airways) 1130 Amsterdam (British Airways) 1210 Frankfurt (British Airways) 1215 Belfast (British Airways) 1530 Zurich (British Airways) Departures 0645 Dublin (British Airways) 0810 Frankfurt (British Airways) 0840 Amsterdam (British Airways) 0900 Belfast (British Airways) 1145 Zurich (British Airways) MANCHESTER (x6) Arrivals 0120 Kos (Tui Airways) 0145 Tenerife (easyJet) 0755 Montego Bay (Tui Airways) 0820 Las Vegas (Virgin Atlantic) 0925 Dalaman (Sun Express) Departures 1020 Dalaman (Sun Express) LUTON (x1) Arrivals 0105 Dalaman (easyJet) No cancelled flights reported today at Stansted, Southend, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle or Bournemouth. Advertisement A fix was deployed for a bug in the update, which affected equipment running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as CrowdStrike's chief executive George Kurtz said it would take 'some time' for systems to be fully restored. Travel expert Simon Calder told Sky News this morning: 'It was going to be the busiest weekend of the year for flights out of UK airports. In the end we had over 700 flights to, from and within the UK cancelled. 'That means 100,000 people suddenly found out, maybe while they were still at home if they were lucky, otherwise while they were waiting at the gate, that their flight had been cancelled.' He added that there had been a 'ridiculous amount of nonsense talked about' the rights of passengers since the disruption began. Mr Calder said: 'The very basic thing is that if your flight is cancelled, immediately the airline has to find you an alternative flight. It can't say, as I've heard from countless travellers, 'oh, we've got another one on Wednesday, we'll put you on that'. 'If there's another flight on any airline via any routing that is going to get you home or get you to your destination for that, they have to buy that for you. If they are not prepared to buy it for you, you can buy it knowing that you will be able to claim it back. 'And of course they are also required, while you're waiting, to put you in a hotel and give you meals.' He said this was 'absolutely strict' and the case for anyone flying from the UK, from Europe or from anywhere in the world on a British or European airline. EasyJet told MailOnline that some of its disruption since Friday has been related to issues with air traffic control (ATC). A spokeswoman said today: 'EasyJet operated around 5,500 flights over this weekend, however some flights were unable to operate due to the impact of ATC staffing and capacity constraints as well as weather related ATC restrictions imposed across Europe yesterday. 'This meant at first wave more than 50 per cent of our flights had an ATC restriction which inevitably led to delays and some cancellations later in the day as well as leaving some aircraft out of base this morning. 'While this is outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused and are doing all possible to minimise the impact on our customers, providing those on cancelled flights with options to rebook or receive a refund, as well as hotel accommodation and meals where needed.' Meanwhile the British Medical Association (BMA) warned yesterday that normal GP service 'cannot be resumed immediately' after the outage caused a 'considerable backlog'. The trade union for doctors said GPs would 'need time to catch up from lost work over the weekend', adding that NHS England should 'make clear to patients' this was the case. The BMA said its GP committee would continue to talk to NHS England and patient record system supplier EMIS to secure a 'better system of IT back-up' to ensure the 'disaster' was not repeated. Across England, GP surgeries reported being unable to book appointments or access patient records last Friday as their EMIS system went down. Passengers queue at check-in gates for flights at London Gatwick Airport this morning Departing passengers face a long wait for check-in this morning at London Gatwick Airport Passengers queue at check-in gates for flights at London Gatwick Airport this morning An NHS spokesperson said: 'Systems are now back online, and patients with an NHS appointment this week should continue to attend unless told not to. 'Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff throughout this incident we are hoping to keep further disruption to a minimum, however there still may be some delays as services recover, particularly with GPs needing to rebook appointments, so please bear with us. 'It's important that patients attend appointments as normal unless told otherwise. You can contact your GP in the usual way, or use your local pharmacy, NHS 111 online or call 111 for urgent health advice.' Dr David Wrigley, deputy chairman of GPC England, the representative body for GPs at the BMA, said: 'Friday was one of the toughest single days in recent times for GPs across England. Without a clinical IT system many were forced to return to pen and paper to be able to serve their patients. Departing passengers face a long wait for check-in this morning at London Gatwick Airport Passengers queue at check-in gates for flights at London Gatwick Airport this morning 'While GPs and their teams worked hard to look after as many as they could, without access to the information they needed much of the work has had to be shifted into the coming week. 'GPs have been pulling out all the stops this weekend to deal with the effects of Friday's catastrophic loss of service and, as their IT systems come back online, we thank them and their staff for their hard work under exceptionally trying circumstances. 'We also thank patients for bearing with general practice in this unprecedented situation.' Dr Wrigley added: 'The temporary loss of the EMIS patient record system has meant a considerable backlog. '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 (National Health Service England) should make clear to patients that normal service cannot be resumed immediately. Passengers in the South Terminal at London Gatwick Airport last Friday amid the IT outage Passengers wait at Edinburgh Airport last Friday as widespread IT outages affected airlines 'The BMA's GP committee will continue our dialogue with both EMIS and NHSE, both to make sure that the coming week can be used to recover as quickly as possible and to urgently work on securing a better system of IT back-up so that this disaster is not repeated in future.' Microsoft said CrowdStrike's update affected 8.5million Windows devices. Estimating the impact of the update, Microsoft said it had affected less than 1 per cent of all Windows machines. 'While the percentage was small, the broad economic and societal impacts reflect the use of CrowdStrike by enterprises that run many critical services,' the firm said in a statement. 'This incident demonstrates the interconnected nature of our broad ecosystem - global cloud providers, software platforms, security vendors and other software vendors and customers. 'It's also a reminder of how important it is for all of us across the tech ecosystem to prioritise operating with safe deployment and disaster recovery using the mechanisms that exist.' CrowdStrike's Mr Kurtz apologised, saying he is 'deeply sorry' and made clear it was 'not a security or cyber incident'. Passengers queue at Birmingham Airport last Friday amid the widespread IT outage Passengers wait at Heathrow Airport last Friday as widespread IT outages affected airlines In a technical statement, CrowdStrike said a 'sensor configuration' had 'triggered a logic error' which the company said had been corrected. Airports across the UK, including Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester and Belfast said passengers should check with airlines for any delays or cancellations before travelling over the weekend. Some 207 flights, equating to 6.7 per cent of all scheduled UK departures, were axed on Friday, with others delayed, while 201 flights due to land in the UK were cancelled. Aviation analytics company Cirium said 6,855 flights, or 6.2 per cent of all those scheduled, were cancelled globally on Friday. It added that 1,639 flights had been cancelled globally as of 10am on Saturday, including 23 flights departing from UK airports, equating to 0.9 per cent of all scheduled UK departures, as well as 25 arrivals into the UK. Passengers queue at London Gatwick Airport last Friday amid the global IT outage Commuters at London Euston railway station last Friday during the global IT outage On Saturday the Port of Dover said it was dealing with 'hundreds of displaced' airport passengers and urged customers to ensure they had a booking before arrival. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said on Saturday afternoon that the IT systems of UK airports and train operators were 'back up and working as normal', but 'some delays and a small number of cancelled flights' were expected. Professor Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said on the same day that 'the worst' of the outage was over but countries would 'have to learn to cope' with future flaws. The NCSC said affected organisations should 'put in place vendor mitigations', adding it was also warning about 'an increase in related phishing' as 'opportunistic malicious actors seek to take advantage of the situation'. Are you affected by flight disruption today? Please email: tips@dailymail.com At least a dozen Russian soldiers have reportedly died and another 30 are said to have been hospitalised after eating watermelons poisoned by Ukrainian resistance fighters in an occupied city. Putin's troops based in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol received the melons from unwitting Russian locals, who received them from the city's partisan groups, according to local media reports. The Ukrainian 24 Kanal news outlet said the watermelons had been given to local resistance fighters who passed them on to the Russians who then sold them to the Russian soldiers. Following the deaths, a Ukrainian resistance group posted: 'That's for you, guys! Thank you for protecting us.' Pyotr Andryushchenko, an adviser to the exiled mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boychenko, said: 'The resistance movement is actively fighting.' File image of Russian soldiers walkng along a street in Mariupol on April 12, 2022 He added that Russians who had moved to the occupied territories had been hired to deliver the poisoned fruit. He said: 'Our people [Ukrainians] do not directly participate in the delivery of such dangerous 'gifts' to the Russians. 'There are always people who come en masse from Russia and want to make money. That is, they want to trade something. 'The operation was simple. It was clear that watermelons were being purchased for a military base. 'It was clear who was going to supply these watermelons. These people were sold a batch of watermelons at a low price, which then caused the intended damage.' Mariupol was captured after a three-month battle following Moscow's attack on Ukraine in 2022. The city has since been left in ruins with pockets of resistance carrying out small acts of sabotage. Last year, two dozen Russian soldiers were reported to have died after drinking poisoned vodka supplied by another resistance group in neighbouring occupied Crimea. The group calling itself the Crimea Combat Seagulls posted on the Telegram channel that it had killed 24 Russian soldiers. It added that it had hospitalised 11 others after giving them poisoned food and drinks in Simferopol, Crimea's second-largest city. The group has also boasted of luring dozens of Russian troops into accepting 'goodies' laced with arsenic and strychnine at a military checkpoint from 'nice girls.' Small donors have contributed a whopping $46.7 million to Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign in the seven hours since President Joe Biden shocked the world by announcing he would not be standing in the 2024 election. The figures, announced by the Democratic Party's fundraising arm, ActBlue, mean that Harris, 59, has broken the record for most money raised during this election cycle. 'This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election,' the group said in a post on X. Harris is not officially the party's nominee, but has already earned the endorsement of Biden, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic kingmaker George Soros. 'Tough. Fearless. Tenacious. With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump's dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America's Vice President, Kamala Harris,' Newsome wrote in his endorsement on X. Vice President Kamala Harris has been raising money hand-over-fist as she attempts to secure the nomination to succeed President Joe Biden Two possible outsider candidates, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have already endorsed Harris There are also reports that Democratic Party kingmaker, George Soros, is behind Harris Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are arguably the two most high profile party elders to back Harris In addition the money raised in the hours after Biden's decision, The Wall Street Journal reports that Harris will also have access to the moneys raised by the Biden/Harris 2024 campaign, close to $100 million. On Saturday, Federal Election Commission filings showed that ex-President Donald Trump and his running mate Senator JD Vance have raised $128 million. The Journal later reported that GOP operatives are likely to contest Harris' access to the cash raised by Biden. Odds on Harris defeating Trump have been slashed to around 12/5, down from an astonishing 100/1 in February. The Republican nominee remains the favorite to win the election with odds of 4/6. Despite the high-profile endorsements, Harris is likely to still seek the support of former President Barack Obama, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The New York Times reports that Obama's lack of endorsement in a letter reacting to Biden's announcement was not a slight against Harris but rather typical of his stance at this stage of the process. The former Illinois senator was slow to endorse Biden, his vice president, in 2020, famously stating: 'I don't want to thumb the scale.' Harris spoke multiple times with Biden on Sunday, according to people familiar with the conversations a day after Biden huddled with his closest aides in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, as he began to conclude that he would end his reelection bid. Harris has yet to be endorsed by former President Barack Obama About two hours after the surprise Sunday announcement from Biden, Harris released her own statement, making it clear she knew the nomination would not just be handed to her. 'I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,' Harris said. 'Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead.' Then Harris quickly got to work. She spent much of Sunday afternoon calling Democratic elected officials and delegates as she worked to lock up her party's nomination. One call was with Schumer. Another was with Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairwoman Nanette Barragan, who emphasized that she was 'all in' behind the vice president and urged donations on her behalf. Barragan said she was caught in a moment of both sadness and excitement as she digested the news of Biden's withdrawal. But in her call with Harris, the vice president stressed to her: 'We're in this to win it.' Harris also communicated that she preferred to forego a virtual roll call for the nomination process and instead hold a process that adheres to regular order. 'This is the moment for us to unite and coalesce around the vice president and focus around Donald Trump,' Barragan said. Harris also spoke with Rep. Annie Kuster, who leads the New Democrat Coalition, an influential bloc of center-left lawmakers. Kuster endorsed Harris on Sunday afternoon. Notably, a handful of men who had already been discussed as potential running mates for Harris - Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly - also swiftly issued statements endorsing her. Aides to Shapiro and Cooper confirmed that Harris spoke with them Sunday afternoon. In her brief call with Cooper, the North Carolina governor told Harris that he was backing her to be the Democratic nominee, according to Cooper spokeswoman Sadie Weiner. 'Joe Biden is a great American, and we all owe him our immense gratitude for his service to our country as president, vice president, and senator,' Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., said. 'There is no better person than Vice President Harris for him to pass the baton to.' But there were early signs that she may not be alone in the Democratic race. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who left the party earlier this year to become an independent, is considering re-registering as a Democrat to vie for the nomination against the vice president, according to Jonathan Kott, a longtime adviser to Manchin. Holidaymakers in Mykonos got a nasty surprise when the wake of a speeding passenger ferry caused a large wave to wash over the beach they were on, knocking some off their feet. Two people were reportedly injured when the large wave broke the calm waters and crashed onto the shore, with one woman said to have sustained broken ribs. A furious beachgoer filmed the moment the boat's wake reached the beach, with swimmers seen running out of the sea and heard screaming in the dramatic footage. The water then covers the whole beach, with shocked tourists seen scrambling to pick up their belongings before they are washed away by the powerful swell. The boat responsible went on to dock at the port of Rafina in mainland Greece, where the captain was arrested, local media reports. Bathers were seen scrambling to get out of the sea as the wave approached out of nowhere A wall of water can be seen building, which then crashes down on a woman who is still in the sea The water crashed onto the beach before covering the sand, knocking some off their feet Two youngsters are seen rushing to assist a woman who was caught in the freak wave Beachgoers are seen running to escape the wave while others were caught up in the shocking surge of water The incident happened at around midday on Saturday on the popular beach of Agios Stefanos next to Tourlos, the new port of Mykonos. Deckchairs as well as people's belongings were swept away, while quick-thinking sunbathers are seen jumping up and running to a nearby wall to escape the wave. Two teenagers and a much younger boy are seen running out of the sea as they watch the wave approach. Meanwhile a woman who stayed in the ocean can be seen taking the full force of the wave, with it crashing over her head and knocking her to the floor. The two boys rush back to check on her and try to help her to get up out of the sea. Takis Papadakos, who filmed the water surge and shared video of the incident on Facebook, said that the woman in the video 'was hospitalized with two broken ribs.' He slammed the ferry operator, saying the captain 'passed as close and as fast as ever' as they tried to keep to their itinerary. Shocked tourists were seen scrambling to pick up their belongings before they were washed away The coast guard said deckchairs and people's belongings were scattered by the wave Children and their parents are seen running from the huge wave, while other shocked beachgoers watch on A huge cruise ship can be seen in the background of the video, but beachgoers blamed a speeding passenger ferry While a huge cruise ship can be seen in the background of the video, beachgoers and the coast guard blamed a smaller vessel for the chaos, which is out of sight in the footage. The boat reportedly belonged to Fast Ferries Andros, which transports tourists and locals between the mainland, Mykonos and various other islands. Authorities arrested the captain for violating regulations related to reckless operation near other boats and causing negligent injury, news site Protothema reports. The Mykonos Port Authority is reported to have launched an investigation. A former bank employee has been allowed to open a new bank account as she prepares to fight allegations she used her role to defraud banks. Police allege Sara Daizli opened accounts in fictitious names and swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars between February 2016 and December 2018. She allegedly siphoned money into her bank account under a false name and used the ill-gotten gains to fund a lavish lifestyle. The 32-year-old is also accused of making fraudulent loan applications to St George and ANZ banks. She has pleaded not guilty to a staggering 120 charges, including dealing with the proceeds of a crime and 108 counts of dishonestly gaining a financial advantage by deception. On Monday, Ms Daizli's lawyer asked the court for permission to open a new bank account in her name as she prepares to fight the claims against her. As part of her strict bail conditions, the former bank staffer is barred from interacting with any financial institution except to deal with an existing bank account in her name. The prosecution did not oppose her request for permission to open another bank account. Police allege Sara Daizli opened accounts in fictitious names and swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars between February 2016 and December 2018 Ms Daizli has been allowed to open a new bank account as she prepares to fight allegations she used her role to defraud banks The application was granted by Judge Mark Williams, who instructed Ms Daizli to provide the details of the new bank account to police within 24 hours of opening it. Court documents show the 32-year-old remains constrained by stringent bail conditions, including a prohibition on working in finance. She personally agreed to forfeit $550,000 if she fails to appear in court, while two people known to her offered a further $1,050,000 surety to guarantee she turns up. Ms Daizli will return to court next week for a hearing over disputed issues ahead of a trial in the NSW District Court in September. She is also facing civil proceedings brought by Westpac Bank in relation to her alleged fraud. A farmer has admitted having sex with one of his animals. Shaun Wayne Taylor, 49, pleaded guilty to committing one count of bestiality at his property in Lowan Vale, near Bordertown in South Australia, on September 8 last year, The Messenger reported. The type of animal he had sex with has not been reported. Taylor was arrested on December 22 last year after police inspected one of his electronic devices as part of a separate investigation. In court in February, the farmer asked the court if he could have his bail conditions relaxed so he could 'look after his animals. However, Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos denied Taylor's request as she was not comfortable with him returning to the farm because of 'the heart of the offending'. The magistrate suggested he employ farmhands to care for his livestock. Taylor is next due in court in October. Muriel McKay's killer has offered to help search for her body as police conduct a dig at a farm in Hertfordshire. Nizamodeen Hosein, 76, who lives in Trinidad after being deported at the end of his sentence, said he would get on a plane 'tomorrow' to assist in locating the burial site. He claimed a successful search would be 'more or less impossible' without him present after flying him over was previously ruled out. In 1969, Hosein and his brother Arthur kidnapped Muriel, the wife of news executive Alick McKay, after mistaking her for Rupert Murdoch's then wife Anna - and then murdered her. Speaking in a series of videos, Hosein has said: 'I'm quite willing to come to England tomorrow. To help the search for her body.' Muriel McKay's daughter Dianne (left) travelled to Trinidad with her son Mark Dyer (right) to speak with one of her mother's killers, Nizamodeen Hosein (centre) Police have begun a fresh dig for the remains of murdered Muriel McKay Stocking Farm in Stocking Pelham, Hertfordshire (pictured) Muriel McKay (pictured) was 55 when she was kidnapped from her home in Wimbledon in 1969 by brothers Nizamodeen and Arthur Hosein in the mistaken belief she was the wife of Rupert Murdoch Asked if he would help, Hosein added: 'Every which way.' Nizamodeen and Arthur Hosein had intended to kidnap Anna Murdoch and hold her for a ransom of 1 million, but in a case of mistaken identity, abducted the wife of Mr Murdoch's deputy. Muriel, 55, was snatched from her home in Wimbledon, southwest London, and held at a farm where Arthur Hosein lived. Her family spent six weeks answering their phones with ransom calls, but attempts to hand over some money failed and she was never seen again. The brothers killed her, before being caught by police and later jailed in what was one of the first convictions for murder without a body. It was at one point thought that her remains were fed to pigs. Arthur died in prison in 2009, whereas his brother served 20 years and then was deported to his native Trinidad. Last week, the Metropolitan Police started a dig at Stocking Farm in Stocking Pelham, Hertfordshire, after receiving new information from Hosein. Muriel's daughter Dianne, 84, visited Hosein in Trinidad in January and he told her he remembered where he had buried her mother: three foot from a fence at the farm. Muriel McKay's son Ian (right) and her grandson Mark Dyer (left) spoke to the press as they joined police in the search for her body at Stocking Farm in Hertfordshire Extensive searches have taken place at the farm in Stocking Pelham, Hertfordshire (pictured), where police traced her to Muriel McKay's daughter Dianne (left) met with one of her mother's killers Nizamodeen Hosein (right), who told her where he buried her remains Brothers Arthur (left) and Nazamodeen Hosein (right) were found guilty of her murder. Arthur died in prison in 2009, while Nizam was deported after serving a 20-year-prison sentence Muriel McKay's son Ian McKay (Right) and her grandson Mark Dyer who have visited the farm The search, which started last Monday, was originally set to be five days long, but has been extended into a second week and is now due to continue until Wednesday. Muriel's son Ian McKay, 82, flew over from Australia, where he now lives, to join the search, and her grandson Mark Dyer, 59, has also joined. The family have urged police to fly Hosein over, so he can direct them towards where exactly he buried her. Mr McKay said on Sunday that the family was frustrated that this had not happened. He said: 'The whole thing is a no-brainer. You wouldn't go and dig for treasure (without) the person who buried the treasure telling you where it was. 'It doesn't make sense. It's almost pigheadedness. We keep on being fobbed off.' Last week, Mr McKay also criticised the police for allegedly 'ignoring Nizam's specific information' of where his mother is. He added: 'It seems to me a nonsense that Nizam is not here. 'The fact he's a convicted criminal is hard for us to swallow but he has served his sentence. 'Why would you not have the man who has now admitted to burying her here to help find her?' Muriel's grandson Mark Dyer added that the dig was like the 'blind leading the blind' and that Hosein could be brought over on the next flight. Muriel McKay's grandson Mark Dyer (pictured) appeared on Good Morning Britain and urged police to fly over one of her killers to aid in the search for her remains Police searched the farm in 2022 (pictured), but Hosein claims they looked in the wrong area Son Ian and grandson Mark Dyer walked with members of the police search team at Stockings farm as they were shown around the search site (pictured) The abduction is believed to have involved a case of mistaken identity - with the kidnappers intending to seize Anna Murdoch, the former wife of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch (pictured) Mark Dyer (left) arrived at the farm with Ian (right), who described it as a 'place of horror' He said: 'The whole thing is very kind but pointless without the perpetrator. 'He's a plane ticket away from ending the misery forever. Is she there or isn't she there?' The Met Police said yesterday that it was discussing Hosein's position with the McKay family. A spokesperson said: 'Bringing Hosein to the UK was carefully considered prior to the search and we did not believe it would provide us with any further or useful information. 'Therefore, we did not formally approach the Home Office, who would be required to grant permission. 'We understand the family believe Hosein attending the search would be useful and we continue to liaise and discuss this with them.' The search by the Hertfordshire Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police is the third attempt to find Muriel at this site. The Metropolitan Police had previously told the family that it was considering cooperating with Hosein in the fresh hunt but the decision would rest with the Home Office, because he had been deported. Judge Robert Rinder has warned against the 'deeply disturbing' use of 'they' as a catch-all generalisation for Jewish people. The television personality and barrister said he was 'very, very worried' about the rise in discriminatory language now used in what he termed 'so-called polite company'. Urging people to 'stop letting things slide', Mr Rinder, 46, said that his Jewish background was a 'celebratory aspect of my identity'. But he revealed that people he knew were now 'fearful' of wearing a Star of David in public. Mr Rinder's ancestors, including his great-grandparents were murdered during the Holocaust at the Treblinka death camp. Speaking on the Off Air podcast, Mr Rinder said: 'The curious thing is the first time in my lifetime - I grew up in a racially and ethnically and splendid community and being Jewish was a rather lovely cultural aspect of my life, and despite being the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, so deeply aware of antisemitism in the most extreme form imaginable, I never felt existentially threatened or different. Judge Robert Rinder has called out the 'deeply disturbing' use of the term 'they' reference to Jewish people Mr Rinder, who is the descendant of Holocaust survivors and victims, said he knew people who were now afraid to wear the Star of David in public, and a worrying increase in disturbing language at events 'The truth is I now have people I know and love who are fearful of walking the streets with a Star of David on.' The barrister added that people were struggling to discuss the conflict in the Middle East in 'a way that is nuanced' while not defending the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu's government. He said that people felt fearful to 'communicate and share why Israel as a state is sacred to Jewish people', the Telegraph reported. 'When they want to perhaps make the case for why it should exist, and be able to enter those complex and challenging conversations watching the horror ensue, that they feel very fearful doing that. 'They feel excluded and dehumanised from that conversation. That's the first time I've ever experienced that being a Jew in this country. 'I've been at dinner parties or events where things that are said, both on the Left and the Right... casually, loosely and are deeply disturbing.' Mr Rinder said that the term 'they' was being increasingly used in the context of classic Jewish tropes such as their 'influence in the media' and 'disproportionate power in some professions'. 'You can hear that now in so -called polite company, and you shut your eyes and you imagine - you don't have to shut them very tightly - and you imagine that's the starting point for all the horrors that ensue', the TV personality said. Mr Rinder's grandfather Morris Malenicky, a Lithuanian Jew, arrived in Britain as one of 300 'Windermere children' orphans who survived the Holocaust and were brought to the Lake District. Citing the subtle events that culminated in the Holocaust, starting after the First World War, he continued: 'The thing that I care about a lot mostly isn't focusing on all of the horrors underneath that dark earth in Treblinka. 'But that's the end of the story. It's the beginning that matters. 'This is the most advanced western liberal democracy of its time. The absolute apotheosis of western civilisation, Germany. 'And what did you need? Well, you need people to be aggrieved by a treaty, catastrophic economic events, and the wrong person in the right place at the wrong time. 'And then this conversation starts. The 'they'. 'They are very powerful you know'. Mr Rinder said that people wanted to be able to discuss Israel in a 'nuanced' way without necessarily endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu's government 'All the things that you've begun to creep into, like a malignant force, branded on the tongue in conversations, that exist now in ways and spaces that would have been intolerable when I was young. 'That's the quiet starting point for the slow dark slippery slide into what can be depravity and I'm very very worried about that.' But he clarified it was not something to be 'pessimistic' about, but a reason to 'check ourselves'. On both antisemitism and islampphobia, Mr Rinder, who was awarded an MBE for Holocaust education, said: 'If you're not sure, it's worth calling it out. Just sort of be mindful of how it's affecting the world, and be mindful that the power to stop hate really does start and end with you.' Speaking about his documentary about Israel called Holy Land: Our Untold Stories, he said: 'I'm not hind minded enough to believe that television or even writing has the power to change people's minds, especially when it comes to that part of the world. 'What I wanted and hoped for is for anyone watching it would perhaps go away and think the issue was nuanced.' Brittany Higgins' furious husband has blasted a controversial Aussie commentator as 'vile' after she weighed in on the couple's plans to sell their French chateau ahead of an upcoming defamation trial It was revealed on Monday that Ms Higgins plans to sell her chateau in the south of France ahead of her blockbuster defamation trial against her former boss Senator Linda Reynolds. The former Liberal staffer and her new husband David Sharaz bought the rustic five-bedroom home in Lunas, in the country's historic Dordogne region, last year for about $600,000. They made the purchase about a year after Ms Higgins was awarded a $2.4million compensation payment from the Commonwealth based on claims her political career was in ruins following her rape in Parliament House in 2019. Outspoken television commentator Prue MacSween couldn't hide her delight as she mocked Ms Higgins after the latest development emerged on Monday. 'Too smart by halves. Mon Dieu Higgins has to sell her French Chateau to pay for her mounting legal bills. C'est la vie,' she tweeted. Mr Sharaz leapt to his wife's defence several hours later, firing off a furious tweet. 'You are vile,' he captioned the retweet. Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz plan to sell that taxpayer-funded chateau in the south of France , ahead of the blockbuster defamation trial against her former boss, Senator Linda Reynolds. Television commentator Prue MacSween (pictured)weighed into the latest saga facing Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz on Monday Mr Sharaz's tweet sparked others to defend the couple and unleash on MacSween. 'Why so bitter Prue? Is because you have been irrelevant for so many years now,' one commented. Another added: 'You really are some sort of piece of work, Prune. I don't even think the bowlo crowd would agree with your constant vitriol towards anyone who disagrees with your twisted point of view.' A third wrote: 'Youre a nasty person. Why do you derive such pleasure from being nasty to people. Theres not a compassionate bone in your body.' Meanwhile, Ms Higgins also hit back on Monday night when she reacted to the headline of an online news article about the latest developments. The headline 'Brittany Higgins to sell French getaway' was tweaked from getaway to 'home'. Her husband then shared his wife's screenshot on Instagram. The latest move comes just seven months after Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz fled to France to start a new life. On the day of what was supposed to be their permanent move last December, they arrived at the departures lounge at Brisbane International Airport dressed in suffragette white - apparently a symbol of 'strength' and new beginnings. Daily Mail Australia understands the couple are now strapped for cash amid the ongoing defamation battle with Senator Linda Reynolds who is suing them both over a series of social media posts. They have to cover the cost of defamation lawyers, who can charge more than $11,000 per day. If they lose, they would also have to cover Senator Reynolds' legal fees - which means they could be slapped with legal bill worth more than $1million. It is further understood they may be planning a move back to Australia, ahead of the birth of their first child. David Sharaz called out Prue MacSween's comments about his wife on Monday night Pictured: Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz's French home Since her payout in 2022, the couple enjoyed a luxury rental home on the Gold Coast for a year, and went on a range of holidays to the Maldives, Europe, to the ski slopes in Australia, and Disneyland in Paris. They flew back to the Gold Coast in May ahead of their wedding at The Valley Estate - a sprawling luxury venue on the Gold Coast - with the wedding rumoured to have cost more than $100,000. Ms Higgins' lace gown was a bespoke design by South Australia dressmaker Paolo Sebastian, which cost up to $30,000. Last week, the couple announced on Instagram that Ms Higgins is pregnant. 'Can't wait to meet you!' she wrote in the caption. 'Beyond excited to welcome a new member to our little family. Your parents are already obsessed with you and you aren't even here yet.' Mr Sharaz, 33, has not held a full-time job since he left his media role at Southern Cross Austereo in Brisbane in 2023, shortly after Ms Reynolds announced she was suing him. Earlier this year, he waved the white flag and indicated he would not fight Ms Reynolds any more because he didn't have the financial means. The matter has not been settled, but he conceded defeat. Ms Reynolds matter against them is down for six-week hearing in the WA Supreme Court on August 2. Brittany Higgins is pictured with her cavoodle, Kingston, just after moving to France in December Pictured: Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz's house in France, which could soon be back on the market Talks to settle the matter have failed, with the court last week hearing that Senator Reynolds will see a copy of the Brittany Higgins Protective Trust to find out the trustee in the event of proceedings going in her favour. The court heard Ms Higgins established the trust a day after she signed the deed of settlement with the Commonwealth of Australia in December 2022. The settlement was part of a personal injury claim submitted by Ms Higgins over claims she had been sexually assaulted by her former colleague Bruce Lehrmann. Martin Bennett, Ms Reynolds' lawyer, told the court the trust was set up to protect Ms Higgins from any potential future creditors, including his client. He said an article published in Daily Mail Australia on August 21, 2023, talked about how Ms Higgins had been running out of money when she received a '$3million lifeline'. Mr Bennett said it was easy to draw an inference that the trust was created to protect Ms Higgins from creditors when a person had cried poor, then received a financial lifeline which was placed in a protective trust. He said Ms Higgins must have known the potential for future action against her because of untruths she allegedly told the Commonwealth in her personal injury claim. 'You do not need to be a creditor, it can be a future creditor, which falls squarely within the law,' he told the court. David Sharaz is pictured at their first and only Christmas in their Lunas home The sprawling farmhouse is in the small town of Lunas, in the south of France (pictured) Ms Reynolds has made a complaint to the National Anti-Corruption Commission about the compensation payment made to Ms Higgins. Her lawyer said the senator told the commission that the money should be given back to the Commonwealth and that she wanted a finding made against the people who authorised the 'extraordinarily fast payment.' Ms Higgins was awarded $2.445m in compensation by the government including $1.48m for loss of earning capacity for 40 years; $400,000 for hurt, distress and humiliation; $220,000 for medical expenses; $100,000 for domestic assistance; and $245,000 for legal costs. She accused Ms Reynolds and Senator Michaelia Cash, who was her boss in 2020, of failing to properly support her in the wake of her rape. However, both senators were excluded from mediation talks with the Commonwealth. At the time, Ms Higgins' rape claims had not been proven in court. In April, more than a year after she won the claim, Federal Court Justice Michael Lee found that Mr Lehrmann had raped Ms Higgins, on a balance of probabilities. He has launched an appeal. The first case management hearing is scheduled in the Federal Court in Sydney this Thursday. Tasmanian Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason is facing a court hearing after pleading not guilty to assault and one count of emotional abuse or intimidation A judge denies punching his former partner and pushing her into a mantelpiece, telling a court she was unsteady, fell and hit her head on a table. Tasmanian Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason is facing a court hearing after pleading not guilty to assault and one count of emotional abuse or intimidation. A woman, who cannot be named, claimed Geason became 'enraged' on the night of October 31, 2023 over a photo she received on her phone from a male colleague. She previously told the court Geason shook her, punched her in the chest and pushed her with such force she hit her head on a mantelpiece. Geason, who concluded giving evidence in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Monday, said the woman never hit her head on the mantelpiece. He also denied ever punching her or causing bruising allegedly found on her neck, ribs, shins, calves and knees. Geason said he sat in a chair during the incident to be in a 'safe space' and withdraw. He said he used an open hand 'stop' gesture as the woman approached him, but neither of the pair used any force. 'I didn't intend to connect with her (but) it was inevitable with her standing over me ... that there was a connection,' he told the court. Geason said the woman then turned to walk towards the kitchen but was unsteady on her feet because she'd had a lot to drink. A woman, who cannot be named, claimed Geason became 'enraged' on the night of October 31, 2023 over a photo she received on her phone from a male colleague He said she brushed the mantelpiece with the left cheek while standing up, before 'falling hard' and hitting her head on the side of the table. 'She was certainly affected by alcohol. That was obvious from her movement and her speech,' Geason said. Geason said the 'logical explanation' for bruising on the woman's upper arms was his effort to grab her and help her to her feet after she fell. He said he had to use 'whatever force necessary' to get her up because she was a 'dead weight'. Geason, who is on leave from his duties as a judge, told the court he went to bed and cried because he was upset with how he had handled the situation. 'I felt it was my poor response and immature response to a situation ... I felt I could have handled it much better,' he said. The court was told Geason made multiple internet searches for domestic abuse services and anger management support in the days after the alleged assault, before being charged. He said one search for 'how to get domestic violence charges dropped - step-by-step guide' was 'supposedly' in anticipation for what would happen. 'When you feel misjudged and wrongly accused you look for anything that would provide a thread of argument,' he said. The court was told Geason also searched 'the best songs to say you're sorry' and sent messages to the woman asking her not leave him and that he was a 'f***wit'. He said he accepted responsibility for the incident escalating but not for the assault alleged by the woman. Geason said he was strip-searched and held in a police cell for six hours after being charged. The final two witnesses are expected to appear before the hearing on Tuesday. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 This is the moment a brazen shoplifter lost his coat after wrestling with a security guard while stealing a pack of beer. The sandal-wearing crook was nabbed while attempting to snatch a four-pack of booze from the alcohol fridge in the Marks and Spencer shop of a BP garage. Footage of the thief captured him being tackled by the store's security guard, who wrestled the man down the aisles of the M&S outlet. 'Put it back, put it back,' shouts the guard as he grapples with the suspected shoplifter, adding: 'Put it down, put it down.' The desperate thief - wearing khaki shorts and a chequered shirt and blue jacket - is then heard begging: 'Let me go, let me go.' The brazen shoplifter was caught trying to pinch a four-pack of beer from an M&S store The alleged thief was wrestled through the aisles of the shop by the security guard during the incident on Sunday The man managed to escape - but only after wriggling out of his coat. 'No,' replies the guard, as he continues to grip onto the man's arm while they struggle through the shop. An onlooker filming the chaos then screams 'oh no' as the shoplifter tumbled into one of the chilled aisle shelves before dropping the pack of beers to the floor and scooping them back up. Attempting to stop the man from fleeing, the brave guard continues to grip onto the suspected thief - before the male managed to slip out of his jacket and wriggle free. The coatless crook said: 'Thank you, thank you' as he fled on foot with the cans of beer. The incident happened at the BP garage on the A312 in Northolt, west London, on Sunday morning, as reported on NeedToKnow. It comes as the head of a security at a chain of high-end health food stores in the capital claimed to lose 900,000 a year to 'posh totty' shoplifters. Richard Fowler said some shoppers feel 'entitled' to steal from Planet Organic because they shop their regularly. The brand, which has nine stores across London, claims all the products it sells are completely organic. The incident happened at the BP garage on the A312 in Northolt on Sunday morning (pictured is the suspected shoplifter and guard wrestling in the M&S outlet at the garage) The man is seen being pinned against the wall by a guard as he attempts to steal a pack of beer But Mr Fowler claimed shoplifting takes place at its Chiswick branch 'every day' and that 'posh totty' were among the main culprits. He told the BBC: 'We've got our homeless... Then we have what I would call the posh totty people. 'They shop in Planet Organic on a daily basis, they spend a lot of money with our business. '[They think] "Today I'm a little bit short of money, so I'm entitled to steal something".' The third type of shoplifters are opportunists who 'drop' something into their bag when they think they are going unnoticed. The Government pledged to scrap laws introduced in 2014 which downgraded thefts of less than 200 to a minor offence. It comes after shopkeepers and major retail bosses complained shoplifters were running riot across Britain, with stores powerless to act. The Met Police, BP and Marks and Spencer have been approached for comment about the video of the theft Northolt. Ministers today promised to 'consider' scrapping the two-child benefit cap as Sir Keir Starmer scrambles to head off a House of Commons revolt by Labour MPs. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the Government would look at lifting the cap as 'one of a number of levers' to tackle child poverty. But she warned it would be 'very expensive' to reverse the policy as Labour battle with 'really tough' public finances. Sir Keir is facing the threat of a first Commons rebellion by Labour MPs since he became PM over the two-child benefit cap. A group of around 20 Labour backbenchers have already pledged to support an amendment to the King's Speech demanding the Government 'abolish' the cap. Sir Keir Starmer is facing the threat of a first House of Commons rebellion by Labour MPs since he became PM over the two-child benefit cap Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the Government would look at lifting the cap as 'one of a number of levers' to tackle child poverty A group of around 20 Labour backbenchers have already pledged to support an amendment to the King's Speech demanding the Government 'abolish' the cap The two-child benefit cap, introduced by ex-chancellor George Osborne, prevents parents from claiming universal credit or child tax credit for a third or additional child born after April 2017. Before becoming PM, Sir Keir said he would ditch the two-child limit 'in an ideal world' but added that 'we haven't got the resources to do it at the moment'. He is under intense pressure from left-wing MPs, campaigners and charities to scrap the cap now that Labour are in power. Speaking to Sky News this morning, Ms Phillipson did not rule out the Government removing the limit on benefit payments. But she added: 'Unfortunately it's also a very expensive measure, but we will need to consider it as one of a number of levers in terms of how we make sure we lift children out of poverty. 'Housing is a big factor The fact that for lots of families work doesn't pay in the way that it should, and that increasingly what we see is that children are growing up in poverty where there is at least one person in that household in work. 'We will look at every measure in terms of how we can address this terrible blight that scars the life chances of too many children.' Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, has tabled an amendment to the King's Speech demanding Sir Keir 'abolish the two-child cap on benefits' The Resolution Foundation has calculated that abolishing the two-child limit would cost the Government somewhere between 2.5billion and 3.6billion in 2024/25 but said such costs are 'low compared to the harm that the policy causes'. Recent figures from the Department for Work and Pensions showed there were around 440,000 households in receipt of either universal credit or child tax credit who were not receiving the child element or amount for at least one child because of the policy, up from 409,050 as of April 2023. Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, has tabled an amendment to the King's Speech demanding Sir Keir 'abolish the two-child cap on benefits'. The Government last week attempted to try and head off a revolt on the King's Speech by committing to a ministerial taskforce to begin work on the child poverty strategy. Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow this morning, Sir Keir said Labour's child poverty strategy 'covers all the bases' to tackle the issue. But he declined to repeat the Education Secretary's earlier commitment to consider scrapping the two-child benefit cap. Asked whether Ms Phillipson was right, the PM said: 'What the Education Secretary said this morning I agree with, which is she's passionate about tackling poverty and child poverty in particular. 'She spoke very powerfully this morning, because she speaks as a woman who grew up in poverty, everybody who knows her background knows how hard it was for her. 'So that's why I'm very pleased that she's one of the chairs of our taskforce on tackling child poverty, and we will make sure that the strategy covers all the bases to drive down child poverty. No child should grow up in poverty. 'The last Labour government did a huge amount of work on this with a very good strategy. I intend that we will do the same with the same commitment and passion.' He added there was 'no silver bullet' to tackle child poverty but said 'it's good that we're having a debate about it'. 'I'm not surprised that there's a real passion about this in the Labour Party, you'd expect there to be,' the PM continued. 'Child poverty is something that we need to eradicate. And there's a very strong feeling in the Labour Party, labour movement about that. 'That is precisely why I set up the taskforce to tackle child poverty. 'There is no silver bullet. If there was a silver bullet it would have been shot a very long time ago.' A minister has hinted that the Tory crackdown on foreign student visas could be eased amid the cash crisis in universities. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson suggested the government wants to 'welcome' more international students. She also refused to rule out hiking tuition fees, with fears that major institutions could be on the verge of collapse. Rishi Sunak announced a crackdown on most students bringing dependents as part of efforts to reduce record legal net migration levels. Experts are expecting overall numbers to start coming down, partly as a result. However, there have been concerns about the impact on universities, which often get huge revenues from those coming from abroad to do courses. Asked whether more international students could be part of the answer to the problems, Ms Phillipson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'In terms of international students they have an important role to play in our country they drive opportunities in terms of the contribution to the economy, I've seen it myself in Sunderland... 'Under this Labour government we want to welcome international students to our country, the soft power, the reach they give us around the world as they return home after their studies.' Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson suggested the government wants to 'welcome' more international students Your browser does not support iframes. The comments came as Keir Starmer (pictured at the Farnborough Airshow) launched a new body to deal with Britain's 'fragmented and broken' skills training system Labour supported the curbs on dependants when they were introduced, but has committed to reviewing the system. Home Office sources said the position was unchanged. The comments came as Keir Starmer launched a new body to deal with Britain's 'fragmented and broken' skills training system. Asked on a visit to the Farnborough Air Show whether he would reverse restrictions on student dependants, the PM said: 'We understand the pressures of migration and why the previous government took the decisions that it did. 'It has led to some pressures now in relation to higher education, but it is right that we get migration down, because it's too high.' He said that the Government would seek to address migration levels through Skills England, adding: 'That is not to say that no business should ever be hiring from abroad that is not realistic, it's not good for business and we don't want to go down that path. 'But for too long that's happened because we haven't had the skills available in this country, and I'm determined to change that.' Labour pledged to create Skills England in its election manifesto to ensure training provision is aligned with the needs of the economy. It will bring together central and local government, businesses, trade unions and training providers to better understand the nation's 'skills gap'. Skills England will also work with the Migration Advisory Committee to reduce reliance on workers from overseas by addressing areas where home-grown skills can be improved. The PM said: 'Our skills system is in a mess, which is why we are transforming our approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades. 'They will help to deliver our number one mission as a Government, to kickstart economic growth, by opening up new opportunities for young people and enabling British businesses to recruit more home-grown talent. 'From construction to IT, healthcare to engineering, our success as a country depends on delivering highly skilled workforces for the long-term. Skills England will put in place the framework needed to achieve that goal while reducing our reliance on workers from overseas'. Ms Phillipson has appointed former Co-Operative Group chief executive Richard Pennycook as interim chairman of Skills England, with the body expected to be established in phases over the next 12 months. Its first task will be an assessment of future skills needs, and it will later take on the functions of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education once the Skills England Bill, announced in the King's Speech, passes Parliament. According to the Department for Education, skills shortages doubled between 2017 and 2022, and now account for 36 per cent of job vacancies. The Government also sees improved training as vital to its aim of growing the economy, arguing that a third of productivity growth over the last two decades has been down to better skills. Ms Phillipson said: 'Our first mission in government is to grow the economy, and for that we need to harness the talents of all our people to unlock growth and break down the barriers to opportunity. 'The skills system we inherited is fragmented and broken. Employers want to invest in their workers but for too long have been held back from accessing the training they need. 'Skills England will jumpstart young people's careers and galvanise local economies. Your browser does not support iframes. 'It will bring businesses together with trade unions, mayors, universities, colleges and training providers to give us a complete picture of skills gaps nationwide, boost growth in all corners of the country and give people the opportunity to get on in life.' A Conservative Party spokesman said: 'We will wait to see Labour's plans in full, but by allowing 50 per cent of the Apprenticeship Levy funds to go to other non-apprenticeship training we may see the number of apprenticeships is reduced by half, leading to fewer opportunities for the next generation. 'We hope Labour will continue the good work of the Conservative government which saw 5.8million more apprenticeships created since 2010 alongside our education reforms which now find our children among the best readers in the western world.' A driver accused of murdering a young mother in an alleged hit-and-run outside a daycare centre was dating the dead woman's ex-boyfriend - and now a man has been charged with the mum's murder. Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant, 24, is alleged to have deliberately driven her Toyota Landcruiser Prado into Kiesha Thompson, 23, as she was walking home on Friday. Ms Thompson was on the footpath after dropping off her daughter at daycare in Daisy Hill, south of Brisbane, when she was allegedly run down. Ms Thompson died in hospital that night and police later charged Sant with her murder. Sant is the new girlfriend of Ms Thompson's ex-partner, The Courier-Mail reported. A 27-year-old man was also charged with Ms Thompson's murder late on Monday night. The man, from Acacia RIdge, will face court on Tuesday. Detective Inspector Chris Knight said the relationship between Ms Thompson and her alleged killer would be 'pivotal' to the police investigation. Daily Mail Australia earlier revealed that Sant has three young sons and worked at a Brisbane petting zoo. Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant , 24, (pictured) allegedly murdered Kiesha Thompson, 23, by mowing her down with a car Kiesha Thompson (pictured) was on the footpath after dropping off her daughter at daycare when she was allegedly ran down. Her social media accounts are filled with selfies and posts about her tumultuous love life, desires for relationships and videos of herself dancing. 'Stuck between wanting my happy ever after and never wanting to loose [sic] what I have,' one post reads. 'How am I supposed to choose when the time comes.' The revelations came as Ms Thompson's shattered family released a video statement. Her brother, Koby Torto said his niece was the 'light of (Kiesha's) life' and the family would rally around the young girl following the death of her mother. 'My sister Kiesha had nothing short of a difficult life but in the past couple years, she worked tirelessly to create the best life for not only her but her child, who is the absolute light of her life,' Mr Torto said. 'Her life up to the end was exactly what she wanted but as all good things come, so do bad and she was taken from us. 'I cannot stress enough that her daughter was the absolute light of her life and we're here to support her throughout her whole life.' Ms Thompson's aunt, Amanda Matthias, urged anyone with information about the incident to contact police. 'My niece Kiesha was tragically taken away from us in a horrific and senseless act,' she alleged. 'We are deeply grateful for those who worked tirelessly to save her. 'We plead to anyone who might have information to help us better solve this case, if anyone else is involved please come forward to police.' Meanwhile, the family plan to set up a GoFundMe to help cover any expenses for Ms Thompson's daughter. Sant (pictured) is reportedly the new girlfriend of Ms Thompson's ex-parther Police will allege she drove around Daisy Hill for a period of time before Ms Thompson was struck Police at the scene of a fatal hit and run in Daisy Hill Keyara Thompson said there were no words for 'the pain of losing' her sister. 'We're struggling with the enormity of her absence in our life and I'm just trying to understand,' Ms Thompson said. 'As we are working to rebuild our live and focus on caring for her daughter, we need support. 'In honour of Kiesha, we are starting a GoFundMe page to ensure that her daughter has the best life possible that we can provide her without her mother. 'Any contributions no matter how big or small will make an enormous change to her daughter's life.' Police will allege the incident was premeditated and Sant was driving the silver 4WD SUV in the area for an extended period of time before the Daisy Hill crash. 'We will allege that that event was not in fact an accident, and the young lady who has tragically lost her life, was in fact targeted,' Det Insp Knight told reporters on Sunday. 'For that reason we don't believe that it was an unfortunate, random traffic accident. 'The young lady who lost her life was a mother, she had dropped her daughter off at daycare. 'It is a gross understatement to say anything other than that family is deeply traumatised.' Kiesha's Thompson's shattered family broke their silence on Monday Kiesha Thompson (pictured) worked tirelessly to create the best life for not only her but her child Sant was remanded in custody after her matter was mentioned in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday. Her solicitor, Thomas Allen, told the court the matter needed to be adjourned to Beenleigh Magistrates Court. Sant was not able to apply for bail due to the serious nature of the charge and will will reappear in court via video link on July 31. Outside court, Mr Allen told media he had 'no comment' about the matter. Police said they seized a damaged silver Toyota Prado at Goodna, west of Brisbane on Saturday while the 24-year-old was arrested a few suburbs away at Yamanto. Police described the incident as far from typical but declined to comment on any relationship between the pair. Asked if it was a case of domestic violence, Det Insp Knight said: 'It is not as simple as that.' Police are appealing for dashcam footage and asked the driver, owner or passengers on a white, unbranded bus seen in the vicinity shortly before 9am on Friday to come forward. Do you know more? Email tips@dailymail.com The pair went back to his villa CCTV has emerged of a tourist being attacked from behind and stabbed by a woman near a popular bar in Bali after a 'one-night stand' took a disastrous turn for the worse. The incident unfolded near the Sandbar restaurant and pub on the holiday island. Footage of the confronting incident, which appeared to have happened at night, was was captured by cameras from a nearby building. The clip was later uploaded to Instagram by Italian comedian Christian Giacobbe. The video showed the man, who was wearing a T-shirt and shorts and carrying a bag, walking back to his villa. The woman, who was seen riding in a motorbike, approached the man from behind and allegedly stabbed him in the back with what appeared to be a knife. Unaware the object was stuck to his back, the man continued to walk down the street as the woman took off on the motorbike. The video uploaded to social media showed the man lying face down on hospital bed. The woman, who was seen riding in a motorbike, approached the man in the vehicle from behind and allegedly stabbed him in the back with a knife (pictured) Parts of his shirt were covered in blood and the knife, which had been wrapped in a white bandage, was firmly lodged into his back. A hospital worker was captured trying to help the injured man. According to Mr Giacobbe, the man had met the local girl at the bar. 'They like each other, they start dancing, they start kissing...they go back to his villa and they do what they do,' he claimed. Mr Giacobbe then claimed the woman became upset after the man asked her to leave a short time later. He claimed the pair had an argument after the man allegedly refused to pay the woman when she asked him for money after they had sex. The pair are understood to have left the villa before the man helped the woman find the motorbike. 'As he is walking back to his villa, she [allegedly] stabs him,' Mr Giacobbe claimed. The footage of the terrifying incident, which was later uploaded to social media, showed the man lying face down on a hospital bed, with parts of his shirt covered in blood (pictured) The injuries the man suffered is not known. The incident comes after an Aussie FIFO worker was stabbed repeatedly while he was on holiday in Bali in March. Peter Noel Sidney Nye, 28, suffered serious injuries to his head, face and arms, after he and his friend claimed they were assaulted outside a mini mart in Kuta, south of Bali. His girlfriend claimed Mr Nye was stabbed over 20 times and said her partner suffered injuries to both arms and his ear. Indonesia is the second most popular tourist destination for Australian holidaymakers. According to the latest data, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade handled 401 consular cases in Bali during the 2022-23 financial year. A married mother who visited her first ever sex festival and was too coy to tell family and friends is now raving about her experience, urging other people to give it a go. Britain's biggest sex festival took place in Allington on the outskirts of Grantham, Lincolnshire and saw a thousand punters descend on the quaint and sleepy village for the four-day event. One of those festival-goers, a 47-year-old office worker, attended with her electrician husband and spent the weekend meeting, greeting and 'getting intimate with like-minded couples'. The mother of two daughters from the Midlands admitted to MailOnline: 'We are both quite shy and had no idea what to expect but it exceeded all our hopes and fantasies. 'Some may find it seedy and sordid but that is so not the case. It is all about couples, many in happy and long term relationships, wanting to spice up their sex lives and what is wrong with that? 'We are all consenting adults and nothing untoward or illegal is going on and we're all just having a bit of fun. It is absolutely amazing!' The raunchy Swingathon sex festival lets kinky guests browse for sex toys and cool each other down with water hoses The festival also offers fun in hot tubs as well as play tents, pole dancing and foam parties Villagers in sleepy Allington said they don't mind the festival going on, as long as they 'keep themselves to themselves' Residents have complained to police about 'screaming and moaning' coming from the countryside site keeping them up at night in previous years The striking brunette-haired woman Sally, who declined to be fully named, spoke to MailOnline during a brief shopping trip away from the Swingathon situated near the quaint and sleepy village of Allington on the outskirts of Grantham, Lincolnshire. She said: 'It was our first swingers event but we were too embarrassed to tell anyone we knew where we were really going. 'We arrived on Friday night and were feeling very nervous but luckily there was a fancy dress party which helped with any inhibitions. 'We got into out gear, it was a bit raunchy, but it helped us let our hair down and everyone seemed to embrace the dressing up theme.' A thousand revellers flocked to the swingers and fetish festival - billed as the country's largest - in fields hidden away from prying eyes. It featured play tents, pole dancing, hot tubs, foam parties, mobile dungeons and butt-plug bingo. Kinky guests, forking out up to 265 a tickets, could browse and buy sex toys, cool each other down with water hoses and frolic around naked or in skimpy underwear. Marquees were filled with kinky whips and chains, spanking paddles and bondage equipment and a 'SpicyLounge' which enticed punters to 'Something to behold... Along with the moon!' Sally, who has been married to her 55-year-old husband for 23 years, and together have two grown up girls, age 18 and 22, grinned: 'It helped put the spark back into our sex lives!' Kinky attendees struck a pose in barely there outfits at Britain's biggest swingers and festival Pictured: An aerial view of tents set up in preparation for the X-rated Swingathon, where 'anything and everything' goes on Pictured: A stall for 'Relentless Desires', which sells 'hand-crafted fetish furniture' Bottom Street in Allington, Lincolnshire. Guests to the Swingathon camp out in fields a mile from the village centre Organiser Matthew Cole (pictured with fellow organiser Kerry Voellner) promised this year's event would be 'bigger, bolder and better' than before. She said: 'You wouldn't think we were the swinging type, but who is? 'It isn't just about the sex, but the sense of freedom and comradeship. There is such a buzz around the place and we're meeting new people, new friends, all with a healthy and common interest. 'We live in an often cruel and wicked world and if crowds of similar people can group together for a bit of X-rated fun that has got to be OK! 'I read reports that some local villagers were annoyed and others amused by the goings on but there is no alarm or harm intended for anyone. 'We are getting together in a safe and discreet place and hopefully not offending anyone. 'All I would say is wow, it is amazing and so liberating and I would urge other people to give it a go!' As guests were entertained amidst the mixed sunshine and showers, in fields where they camped out a mile from the village centre, organiser Matthew Cole said this year's festival was bigger, bolder and better' than before. Mr Cole, in his mid 30's and running it at the same venue for the second year, said: 'We have put a lot of work into the event and a lot of time into it. 'We have sold more tickets than ever and having the council on side as well, it could not be going any better than I wanted.' Three people pose for a selfie at this year's festival whilst enjoying the sun on Friday An attendee was excited for the day ahead this morning posting a sleepy selfie from his bed One reveller shared a picture of their body art - made by rolling around nude and drenched in paint Sally, who has vowed to go again next year if the popular Swingathon runs for a third time, said she and her hubby are 'both quite shy and had no idea what to expect but it exceeded all our hopes and fantasies.' She added: 'Without going into any detail, we have been getting intimate with like-minded couples. 'There are so many exhibitionists here and they lead the way! 'But it's not just about the physical aspect. It's a big social event with live music, stalls selling all sorts of ware, mainly kinky, and it is very well organised and feels safe. 'There's a great buzz about the place and for us it is all new and thrilling. 'You see people walking around naked and strutting their stuff and that's allowed. We weren't that brave but we welcome that liberation in others. 'There are no sexual encounters happening out in the open, as far as we have seen, that goes on behind closed tents. 'Outsiders get the wrong idea and think a swingers event is all sleaze but it's really not, and we're proof.' A 'war veteran' killed his mother before opening fire on elderly residents and staff at a nursing home in Croatia. The gunman killed at least six people and injuring six more, state media reported, in a rare instance of gun violence in the Balkan country. State broadcaster HRT said an unidentified gunman had entered a nursing home in Daruvar - some 130km east of the country's capital Zagreb - before opening fire. Several others were left wounded during the shooting and are now receiving medical assistance, HRT added. The alleged suspect, born in 1973 according to local reports, initially fled the scene before being later captured and arrested by police near Daruvar cafe. A 'war veteran' killed his mother before opening fire on elderly residents and staff at a nursing home in Croatia (pictured left) The suspect was captured by police near Daruvar cafe (pictured) after he attempted to flee the scene Croatian newspaper Jutarnji described the alleged shooter as a 'war veteran' who killed his mother along with other residents and staff. The N1 regional television reported that the gunman was a former fighter from the 1991 to 1995 war in Croatia. The police quickly issued a statement following the shooting: 'Today, July 22, at 10:10am, the Bjelovar-Bilogor police department received a report that a male person using a firearm killed and wounded several people in a home for the elderly and infirm. 'The person who is linked to the crime is under the supervision of the police. 'An investigation will follow at the scene of the incident, led by the deputy of the county state attorney's office in Bjelovar. It also assured that the suspect is now 'under police supervision'. An employee of a store in Daruvar told local media how two workers of the care home ran into his store, one with a bullet in the chest and one with an eye injury desperately looking for help. 'I also called the police and told them where the killer was. He allegedly sat down and ordered a drink, and put the gun on the table,' a store employee told Dnevnik.hr. Other shocked witnesses spoke to local media of the horrors they saw. One told 24Sata: 'Look, I don't know what exactly happened. It's at a crossroads with me, it's mostly women in the home. Police officers work as they secure a crime scene in Daruvar, Croatia, July 22, 2024 'I was there at that moment, I was walking down the street, I was 80 meters away and I heard the shots. 'At first I thought that it was some kind of construction work - the neighbor told us, adding that these 'shots' were heard at intervals of one to two minutes. The street is now full of police vehicles and ambulances'. Another witness chillingly revealed the killer had gone to the nearby cafe before saying: 'Now I killed them all'. Daruvar is a spa town and municipality in Slavonia, with a population of 8,500 people and authorities are now investigating the motive behind the attack. The city announced the unprecedented tragedy this morning in a statement to its official Facebook page. It read: 'We are shocked and in disbelief regarding this tragic event in the nursing home in Daruvar. 'We express our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. We are shocked by this unfortunate event. 'The attacker was caught. The investigation is ongoing'. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said he was 'appalled' to hear of the shooting. Writing on X, he said: 'We are appalled by the murder of five people in the Home for the Elderly in Daruvar. 'We express our condolences to the families of the victims and hope for the recovery of the wounded. I expect the competent authorities to determine all the circumstances of the terrible crime. A police officer stands near the crime scene in Daruvar, central Croatia, Monday, July 22, 2024 'Ministers Bozinovic, Beros and Piletic will go to Daruvar and the hospital in Pakrac.' Croatia fought a war of independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995, but now shootings in the Balkan country are rare. Monday's incident ranks among the worst in Croatia's history since independence. Last year in neighbouring Serbia, the country was rocked by back-to-back mass shootings, including a massacre at a school in the capital in Belgrade in which 10 people were killed. The devastated family of a tradie left in a coma following a run-in with police outside a convenience store have given a heartbreaking update as they launched a desperate quest for answers. Luke Briggs, 35, was approached by two male police officers in the carpark of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne's west in the early hours of July 15. The officers attempted to speak with the builder regarding a traffic issue when he allegedly became physically aggressive and wrestled with police. Paramedics were called after Briggs became unresponsive during the incident. He was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition, where he remains a week later and is expected to die in the coming days. Victoria Police confirmed on Monday that a male sergeant and constable involved in the arrest have been suspended. No charges have been laid. Mr Briggs' family have opened up about their indescribable pain and suffering. 'Seeing Luke in such a fragile state is soul-crushing, and our thoughts are solely focused on spending our last few precious days with him,' the family said in a statement to The Age. Luke Briggs became unresponsive during an incident with police a week ago Mr Briggs was confronted by police officers in the carpark of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Hoppers Crossing in the early hours on July 15, Pictured are police at the crime scene 'At this stage, our priority is Luke's wellbeing. We are co-operating with authorities, who are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. 'We trust that a thorough and fair investigation will reveal the truth of what happened.' The family have appointed Robinson Gill principal Jeremy King as their lawyer, who has raised many unanswered questions about the investigation. Two officers attached to the North-West Metro region were interviewed on Friday and were suspended three days later. 'The investigation by the homicide squad into the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a man in Hoppers Crossing on July 15 remains ongoing,' the spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. The investigation is being oversighted by Professional Standards Command, as per standard practice when someone is seriously injured in police custody. 'A male constable and male sergeant from north-west metro region have been suspended while the investigation is carried out.' Luke Briggs (pictured in hospital) is expected to die within days The spokeswoman was unable to comment on why it took a week for action to be taken against the officers allegedly involved. 'Something has gone terribly wrong here. A young man should not end up in the intensive care unit, clinging to life after an interaction with police,' Mr King told The Age. The tragedy comes just weeks after a 27-year old man died while being arrested by Victoria Police officers in Kyneton, in country Victoria. In that instance, it is understood the deceased man ingested a substance believed to be cyanide. Five police officers who were in the home were taken to hospital as a precaution Holidaymakers could grab a last-minute getaway bargain as Ryanair said it expects fares will be 'materially lower' this summer. The Irish no-frills airline reported on Monday that profits had slumped by almost 50 per cent. It comes as price-savvy customers delay booking summer holidays - with the budget carrier saying this had contributed to the 46 per cent drop in its profits to 360m (303m), compared with the previous year. Average plane fares fell by 15 per cent to 42 (35), with the airline predicting it will need to offer more cut-price fares over the summer months. Ryanair's typical fare in June was 41.93, down from 49.07 the previous year. Chief executive Michael O'Leary said today: 'While demand is strong, pricing remains softer than we expected, and we now expect fares to be materially lower than last summer.' Holidaymakers could net a last-minute summer getaway bargain as Ryanair said it expects fares will be 'materially lower' this year (Stock photo) Ryanair's typical fare in June was 41.93, down from 49.07 the previous year (Stock photo) Despite the slump in profits, passenger numbers rose 10 per cent to 55.5million, resulting in its overall revenues falling just one per cent to 363billion. Passenger numbers are predicted to increase by 8 per cent this year. Ryanair said its performance for the rest of the summer is 'totally dependent on close-in bookings and yields in August and September'. The airline's chief financial officer Neil Sorahan suggested consumers were being 'a little bit more frugal, a bit more cautious' with their cash, and there was now 'a bit of pushback' following the post-pandemic boom in pricing enjoyed by airlines. Other airlines have also signalled lower airfares , with Jet2 saying earlier this month that there would only be 'modest' price increases this summer amid a wave of later bookings to its European destinations. Lufthansa cited 'negative market trends', while Air France-KLM warned of a financial hit after fewer people than expected booked flights to Paris for the forthcoming Olympic Games. Mr O'Leary also blamed problems with air traffic control across Europe for passengers being hit with flight delays and cancellations. He said: 'In the last 10 days of June we suffered a significant deterioration in European air traffic control capacity which caused multiple flight delays and cancellations, especially on first wave morning flights.' Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said he expected air fares to be 'materially lower' Ryanair said its performance for the rest of the summer is 'totally dependent on close-in bookings and yields in August and September' (Stock photo) '(This makes it) more urgent than ever that the new European Commission and Parliament deliver long-delayed reform of Europe's hopelessly inefficient air traffic control services.' Airlines including Ryanair were also affected by the global IT outage this weekend, which caused travel chaos at airports across the world. 'Delivering the final punch was the global IT meltdown over the past weekend which affected flights around the world,' Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell told the BBC. 'The more people read about delays and cancellations, the more likely a chunk of potential last-minute bookers aren't going to bother.' In May, a Ryanair passenger issued a warning about the airline's strict baggage policies after witnessing some travellers being forced to cough up 46 before boarding a flight. Emily Chaplin saw passengers unexpectedly hit with additional fees for non-compliant luggage while boarding a Ryanair flight to Tenerife on May 6. Keir Starmer has insisted that Joe Biden will have made his decision to quit in the 'best interests of the American people'. The PM said he 'respected' the US president's choice and looked forward to working with him for the rest of his term in office. But speaking at the Farnborough Airshow he sidestepped questions on Vice President Kamala Harris - who Mr Biden said was his pick as the Democrat candidate to take on Donald Trump. Mr Biden dramatically bowed out of the race yesterday in response to mounting pressure about his age and his inability to beat his Republican rival. Sir Keir, who had talks at the White House with Mr Biden earlier this month while in Washington for the Nato summit, said: 'I respect that decision that he has now made. Keir Starmer has insisted that Joe Biden (pictured) will have made his decision to quit in the 'best interests of the American people' Speaking at the Farnborough Airshow Sir Keir sidestepped questions on Vice President Kamala Harris - who Mr Biden said was his pick as the Democrat candidate to take on Donald Trump 'Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency.' He declined to comment on his relationship with Ms Harris, but insisted the UK would work with whoever became president. 'Obviously in the first instance, it's for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward. It is then for the American people to decide who they want as their president. 'My approach will be to respect that decision-making and to be clear that we will work with whoever the American people elect into office, as you would expect, particularly given the nature of the special relationship between our two countries, forged in difficult circumstances, endured for years, and very important to me and very important to all American presidents.' The 81-year-old president announced on Sunday he would not seek another term in office, saying it was 'in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down'. In a post on his social media account, he said: 'My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. 'My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it's been the best decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this.' He said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. 'And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as President for the remainder of my term.' He said in his statement he would address the nation on the matter next week, adding: 'For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me. 'I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can't do when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.' sidestepped questions on Vice President Kamala Harris (pictured) - who Mr Biden said was his pick as the Democrat candidate to take on Donald Trump The decision comes after escalating pressure from Mr Biden's Democratic allies to step aside following his faltering June 27 debate. Mr Biden's term in office ends at noon on January 20 2025. Vice President Ms Harris said she was 'honoured' to have the endorsement of Mr Biden. In a statement, she thanked the US president for his 'extraordinary leadership' and for making a 'selfless and patriotic act' by stepping aside. She said: 'I am honoured to have the president's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.' Wildfires have ripped through a popular coastal area in Portugal at the same time as torrential rain and flash floods have swept much of Europe - as the continent continues to be ravaged by extreme weather this summer. Cars have been swept away by flash floods in parts of France and the Netherlands over recent days, with streets turning into rivers and people being trapped in their homes and even hospitalised. Severe storms have proven deadly in the mountains of Germany and Austria, where two young hikers, aged 18 and 22, died in separate incidents after being struck by lightning bolts. Warnings are in place as more stormy weather is expected today. But it's a different story in Cascais, an area loved by holidaying Brits near the Portuguese capital Lisbon, where dry and windy conditions allowed a 'major' wildfire to be whipped up yesterday, with dramatic footage showing how it spread close to homes and holiday apartments. Meanwhile in Greece, dramatic footage shows how blazes are tearing through forests in various parts of the country, burning non-stop for days after being ignited by lightning strikes and fanned by strong winds. PORTUGAL: Dramatic video shows large wildfires near homes in Alcabideche, Cascais GREECE: In the northern mountainous area of Falakro, a wall of flames has been burning grassland for five days British families heading to Spain, Portugal and Morocco for their summer holidays this week have been warned to brace for a heatwave with highs of up to 46C HOLLAND: High water saw cars flooded and people trapped in their homes in the city of Enschede TURKEY: People try to cool off by the water amid high temperatures in Istanbul FRANCE: A lightning strike is seen over a district of Paris amid storms in France ahead of the Olympics getting underway in the French capital In the northern mountainous area of Falakro, a wall of flames has been burning grassland for five days straight after lightning strikes ignited two areas, which then merged into a singular large front. The fire is spreading quickly due to strong winds, Protothema reports, with fire service helicopters continuing to battle the blaze with water dumps amid fears it could spread out of control to residential areas. A scorching heatwave saw temperatures soar to 43C in Greece last week, with the temperatures remaining high at just below 40C across parts of the country today. The Athens region is seeing highs of 39C, with tourists warned to continue to take precautions to avoid heatstroke after the famous Acropolis was closed due to hot weather this week. While the temperatures are lower in Portugal - in the high 20s around Lisbon - the wildfire in Alcabideche, Cascais, remained severe throughout Sunday. More than a dozen firefighting aircraft and almost 400 firefighters worked to get the fire under control yesterday. This morning, 156 firefighters remained at the site as the battle against the huge fire continued into what was said to be the final stages. Portugal, Spain and Morocco are bracing for more scorching heat, as forecasts predict highs of up to 46C this week. The Met Office said the peak would be this Wednesday when Madrid will reach 39C and Seville 43C, while Lisbon will get up to 37C. But the hottest weather in the region will be in Marrakech which will hit 46C on the same day - although temperatures are set to ease by the end of this week. Policemen control traffic during a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais Heavy smoke and large flames rise at a large forest fire on July 21, 2024, in Cascais, Portugal A large plume of smoke rises above an apartments complex in Alcabideche, Portugal A woman saves animals during a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais Two Canadair CL-215 (Scooper) firefighting amphibious aircraft fly over heavy smoke to drop water at a large forest fire in Portugal Temperatures are reaching more than 40C in Spain, Portugal and Morocco this week While the weather was expected to be less windy today, continued hot weather is unlikely to help firefighters. Despite video showing flames rising high into the sky near residential buildings, local media said that the only material damage done by the fires was to a fire engine. There were 14 people reported injured on Sunday, including 11 firefighters and three civilians. Meanwhile heatwaves are giving way to brutal storms in large parts of northern Europe. In France, more than 45,000 lightning strikes were recorded over the weekend, in what is thought to be the worst storm wave of the year. Wildfires continue to ravage parts of Greece amid sustained hot and dry conditions An airplane fights a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais, as smoke rises A fireman battles a forest fire in Alcabideche. 14 people are said to have been injured in the fire An 'intense stormy episode' which began on Saturday night has led to 'significant' flooding in the north-eastern region of Haute-Marne. Five people were reportedly admitted to hospital following a heavy storm, 'mainly for hypothermia', according to regional officials. Huge hailstones were filmed falling in areas along France's south-eastern coastline and on the island of Corsica last night, with locals and visitors warned to exercise caution. Flash floods have also ravaged parts of the country, with people being evacuated from their homes in the early hours of Sunday morning as roads were blocked and power was taken out. Flash floods have hit parts of France over recent days amid storm warnings effecting the east of the country Motorists drive through floodwater in France amid torrential rain There were similar scenes in parts of eastern Holland yesterday, with dangerously high water blocking motorways and seeing people trapped in their homes. In one shocking video, only the roofs of several cars can be seen as the whole parking area next to a block of flats is filled with floodwater. The Austrian Alps were also hit by devastating flash floods yesterday, with rivers bursting their banks and streets turned into waterways in what emergency responders called 'dramatic scenes'. There was a state of emergency in the town of Kremsbrucke in Carinthia, where sirens were heard blaring on Sunday night as homes were surrounded by high water. Huge hailstones were filmed falling in areas along France's south-eastern coastline and on the island of Corsica last night (pictured) Local residents were warned not to leave their homes and told to go to higher floors to avoid rising floodwaters. 'It is too dangerous to go near the stream or the river,' warned Josef Glanzer, commander of the Kremsbrucke fire department. Within a very short time, around '110 to 130 mm of precipitation fell' in the area. The water did not recede again until around midnight, and there were no reports of injuries, however the effects of the storm on residents are said to have been 'devastating.' Billionaire Bill Ackman has shared a host of wild claims on his X account including a suggestion that President Biden might be terminally ill. The 58-year-old investor shared a litany of suggestions concerning the embattled commander-in-chief who announced he was standing down on Sunday afternoon. The claims shared by Ackman include concerns that Biden might be terminally ill, as well as others around the actual letter. Speculation around the health of Biden have since been fueled by his youngest brother Frank who said he would enjoy 'whatever time we have left'. While, conspiracy theorists have also been speculating over the authenticity of the letter with commentators saying that his signature looked like it was photocopied. Ackman has continued to push this narrative on his X page, frequently sharing past instances of Biden's signature which show examples of it not being underlined. The claims shared by Ackman, seen here in 2017, include concerns that Biden's signature was faked, the letter was not on an official letterhead and that he may be terminally ill Biden made the announcement that he was backing out of the presidential race by sharing a letter to his social media on Sunday afternoon Ackman shared one post by another user that said: 'Not a conspiracy theorist but the lack of any still photo or proof that Joe Biden signed the letter or even a brief on camera sighting has shades of Soviet Regime Change from back in the day.' Speaking with CBS, Frank Biden said that the president's health was part of his decision to stand down. He told the outlet: 'I'm incredibly proud of my brother. Selfishly, I will have him back to enjoy whatever time we have left.' That choice of phrase sparked speculation from Ackman and others that Biden has a secret illness he has not disclosed. A top Parkinson's disease specialist visited the White House multiple times this year, although officials have insisted Biden is in good health. 'He is a genuine hero, country over self, it sounds corny in our cynical political environment but he nor I are cynical,' Frank's statement continued. 'The goal remains the same, defeat Trump and continue the work that Joe has done. My hope is that our party rally's around this heroic act.' When asked by the outlet if his brother's overall health played a role in him standing down for reelection, he said: 'In my humble opinion, absolutely'. Biden made the announcement that he was backing out of the presidential race by sharing a letter to his social media on Sunday afternoon. The president has been isolating with Covid-19 at his holiday home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, when his team composed the letter. Conspiracy theorists have been speculating over the authenticity of the letter with commentators saying that his signature looked like it was photocopied Donors had pulled millions of dollars in funds, the list of Democrats telling him to drop out was growing by the day, and polls suggested that his chances of beating Donald Trump were dwindling after his disastrous debate performance. Jill Biden was there when her husband eventually made the historic call, giving into mounting pressure. A spokeswoman for the First Lady said it was the president's judgment alone, and confirmed he made it late. On Saturday evening, Biden summoned to his side two men who have been there since his political start, advisers Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon. It was Ricchetti and Donilon who brought with them devastating new data which would help to make up Biden's mind. Ackman has continued to push a narrative on his X page over his disbelief that Biden actually signed the letter and that he is terminally ill They revealed the latest internal campaign polling, taken since the debate, which showed he could no longer beat Trump. Biden's decision was made soon after, and he asked Ricchetti and Donilon to start drafting a letter, and to begin the process of how to make a public announcement, DailyMail.com confirmed. The president also began telling his family. After his announcement, Kamala Harris announced she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. A number of prominent Democrats have since came out in support of Harris including California Governor Gavin Newsom. Regardless, Trump has said already that he thinks Harris will be even easier to defeat than Biden. National polling averages show Harris trailing Biden 48 to 46 percent, according to the New York Times. The president has been isolating with Covid-19 at his holiday home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, when his team composed the letter After his announcement, Kamala Harris announced she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination That is an improvement on Biden's scores in the same polls, which showed Trump beating him 47-44. In swing states and even states that have turned reliably blue in recent elections, Harris out-polls Biden even when losing. She's within one point - 48-47 - of Trump in Pennsylvania, besting Biden, who was losing 48-45 to Trump. In Virginia, she leads Trump by five points over Biden, who only leads Trump by four percentage points. However, those polls were conducted before the assassination attempt on former President Trump and before Biden dropped out. Israel has confirmed the deaths of two more hostages in Hamas captivity amid fears the Israeli military mistakenly killed the two men in Gaza. Yagev Buchshtab, 35, and Alex Dancyg, 76, were abducted during the October 7 attack by Hamas, and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said today that a panel of doctors declared them dead based on new intelligence information. The Israeli military said it was still investigating the deaths of the two hostages. Local media outlets reported that the IDF is currently investigating whether the two hostages were killed in Israeli strikes. Buchsthab and Candyg were believed to have died several months ago while they were held together in Khan Younis, where the IDF was operating at the time, the Times of Israel reports. The area came under heavy bombardment. Hamas claimed in March that Buchshtab had died due to lack of food and medication, while Dancyg had been killed by Israeli fire. These claims have not been confirmed by the IDF, which did not say anything on how the two men died. Yagev Buchshtab (pictured), 35, and Alex Dancyg, 76, were abducted during the October 7 attack by Hamas, and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said today that a panel of doctors declared them dead based on new intelligence information The Israeli military said it was still investigating the deaths of the two hostages, who were believed to have died several months ago while they were held together in Khan Younis, where the IDF was operating at the time, the Times of Israel reports Palestinians walk past the rubble of houses destroyed during the Israeli military offensive, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip July 10, 202 Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the possibility that 'at least one' of the hostages was killed by IDF air strikes was being investigated. Buchshtab, a sound engineer, was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nirim along with his wife Rimon Buchshtab-Kirsht, who was released after 50 days in captivity, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. Dancyg, who was born to Holocaust survivors, worked at Yad Vashem, the International Holocaust Remembrance Institute, and trained thousands of guides there, it added. Hostages who were held captive with him reported that Dancyg spent his time in captivity giving history lectures to fellow captives, according to the forum. 'Yagev and Alex were taken alive and should have returned alive to their families and to their country,' the statement read. 'Their death in captivity is a tragic reflection of the consequences of foot-dragging in negotiations,' it said referring to ceasefire talks that have dragged on for months. Their deaths are a 'stark reminder of the urgency' of bringing the hostages home, the campaign group added. This comes as talks to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the release of some 120 captives there were set to resume later this week. An Israeli negotiation team was due on Thursday to set off to mediated Gaza ceasefire talks that would include the issue of hostages being released in return for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli authorities have so far pronounced dead in absentia around a third of the hostages still held in Gaza. A woman holds a photo of Israeli hostage Yagev Buchshtab as people hold up pictures of other hostages as they attend a protest calling for a deal and the release of the hostages held in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, outside Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, April 9, 2024 Palestinian families return to their houses left amid rubble and devastating destruction after Israeli forces' withdrawal from Khan Yunis, Gaza on April 8, 2024 Israel believes that more than a third of the hostages taken to the Gaza Strip on October 7 are now dead, nine months after they were kidnapped. During the October 7 attack, Hamas militants seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, including 44 the Israeli military and officials say are dead. The attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 39,006 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. Labour will prioritise the asylum claims of those from 'safe' countries in efforts to deal with a huge number of cases after axing the Rwanda plan, it has emerged. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to announce a change in the law to allow the processing of claims by migrants who arrived illegally over the last 18 months. According to The Times, this will reverse part of the Tories' Illegal Migration Act that barred anyone arriving in the UK illegally since March 2023 from being granted asylum. Those people had been lined up for removal under Rishi Sunak's Rwanda deportation scheme. But Labour declared the ex-prime minister's plans to send migrants to the African country 'dead and buried' after winning power. The newspaper reported that Labour's law change will affect an estimated 101,000 migrants who have arrived in the UK by small boats or other illegal routes. Those who come from 'safe' countries such as India, Vietnam and Albania are expected to have their asylum claims prioritised because it will be easier for them to be returned home. This is in contrast to those from countries such as Afghanistan and Syria. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to announce a change in the law to allow the processing of claims by migrants who arrived illegally over the last 18 months A group of people are pictured boarding a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the Channel on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk, in northern France James Cleverly, Ms Cooper's predecessor as home secretary, is pictured with Rwanda's foreign minister Vincent Biruta after signing an agreement in Kigali, Rwanda, in December last year Your browser does not support iframes. Only 3 per cent of asylum seekers from India have their applications accepted, along with 7 per cent of Albanians and 46 per cent of Vietnamese. The Refugee Council, a UK-based charity, has estimated that 70 per cent of migrants previously earmarked for deportation to Rwanda will be granted asylum. In a statement to the House of Commons, Ms Cooper - who has branded Britain's asylum system as 'broken' - is also expected to update MPs on her progress in setting up a new Border Security Command. This forms part of Sir Keir Starmer's promise to 'smash the gangs' who help people travel across the Channel in small boats. Senior Tories have blasted Labour for removing the 'deterrent' of the Rwanda scheme and for introducing an 'amnesty' for illegal migrants by processing their asylum claims. Tom Pursglove, a former immigration minister, predicted there would be 'climbing numbers' of migrants crossing the Channel. Some 1,499 migrants arrived in the UK in 27 boats from July 15 to 21, according to Home Office figures. The provisional total for the year so far to 15,831, which is 9 per cent higher than the number recorded this time last year (14,534) and up 3 per cent on the same period in 2022 (15,314). A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We are enhancing the ability to fast-track removals to safe countries for people without the right to be here, as well as co-ordinating action upstream to stop the gangs through a new Border Security Command. 'The Home Secretary has already taken the first crucial steps and more action will following in the coming weeks.' Brazen middle class customers feel 'entitled' to steal a few things from upmarket chains because they are regulars, a head of security has claimed. Richard Fowler, who manages security at upmarket health food brand Planet Organic, said shoplifting at the Chiswick branch takes place 'every day' - and that 'posh totty' types are part of the problem. He claimed the brand loses a staggering 900,000 a year as a result of stealing. The chain has nine stores across London and claims all the products it sells are organic. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Fowler said: 'We've got our homeless... Then we have what I would call the posh totty people. 'They shop in Planet Organic on a daily basis, they spend a lot of money with our business. '[They think] ''Today I'm a little bit short of money, so I'm entitled to steal something''.' Brazen middle class customers feel 'entitled' to steal from Planet Organic because they are regulars, the head of security claimed Richard Fowler (pictured), who manages security at Planet Organic, said shoplifting at the Chiswick branch takes place 'every day' Planet Organic has nine stores across London and claims all the products it sells are completely organic Metropolitan Police figures show that 57,453 offences were reported across London last year an increase from 38,157 in 2022. Emmeline Taylor, professor of criminology at City University, told the BBC: 'It's widely known that the police have been overstretched and under-resourced for over a decade. 'It is not just about the number of police that have been taken off the streets, it's also the operational approach and the strategy.' Shoplifting has risen to the highest level on record, new data revealed in April this year. Retail bosses accused ministers of allowing shoplifting to become effectively decriminalised, with many police forces failing to attend the majority of reports and failing to gather any evidence when they do. Less than 40 per cent of shoplifting reports were attended by the Met between April 2022 and April 2023, figures revealed. Separate data suggests a similar - and often worse - situation in the rest of the country, with forces sending out an officer for just one in five calls related to shoplifting. Former Home Secretary James Cleverly previously said shoplifting has a 'corrosive effect' on people's confidence and that police should attend every incident and pursue every line of inquiry to send a message that 'you don't just get away with it'. A former children's nurse who was found guilty of trying to kill her husband has collapsed in court after finding out that she will spend almost a decade behind bars. Wendy Sym, 63, was sentenced to nine years in jail at WA Supreme Court on Monday. The grandmother had been accused of trying to kill her husband of 39 years Kenneth Sym in January 2021 by injecting a lethal dose of insulin, a drug commonly used to treat diabetes. Mr Sym, who was suffering from dementia and was also being treated for type-2 diabetes, survived after he received medical care. The court heard that his wife injected the lethal dose of the drug at Joondalup Hospital where Mr Sym had been admitted after he suffered injuries from a fall. His blood sugar levels dropped to a dangerous level and he was never prescribed insulin to treat his diabetes. He died from a stroke caused by unrelated causes two months later. Sym collapsed onto the floor of the courtroom after Justice Amanda Forrester read out the sentence, reported WA Today. Wendy Sym, 63 (pictured) collapsed in court after she was sentenced to nine years behind bars for trying to kill her husband Wendy Sym (pictured right) took on the responsibility to care for her husband of 39 years Kenneth (left) after he was diagnosed with dementia in 2014 Family and friends, who attended packed the courtroom, gasped after the sentence was delivered. Sym continues to deny she tried to murder her husband after a jury found her guilty during a trial in April. The court heard that a nurse at the hospital found the vial of insulin had been dumped inside a rubbish bin in a nearby bathroom. Traces of Sym's DNA were found on the vial, which was dated April 9, 2018. Sym denied that her husband required insulin and said she never went to the bathroom during a police interview on January 20, 2021. She also insisted at the time that she wasn't finding it difficult to care for her husband, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2014. But her lawyer Seamus Rafferty told the court on Monday that constantly caring for her husband took a toll on his client, that led to 'carer's burnout'. 'She was suffering from carer's fatigue, a recognised psychological condition, that impacts your ability to make calm and rational decisions,' Mr Rafferty said. 'It shows there is a causal connection between her mental state at the time and her actions'. Sym also previously denied she asked staff at the hospital to leave her husband alone while she was away from his bedside. She was found to have requested staff keep check-ups of her husband to a minimum. Kenneth Sym (pictured) died unrelated causes two months after he was given a dose of insulin by his wife The grandmother (pictured)will spend at least seven years behind bars Justice Forrester said she could not accept that Sym gave her husband the dose of insulin in an attempt to provide him with medical assistance. She accepted that Sym was in an state of emotional turmoil due to providing around-the-clock care to her husband. 'You were exhausted by your care responsibilities and despairing at the prospect of them continuing in the future unabated,' Justice Forrester said. 'In that state you decided to end his life.' Sym will be eligible for parole after seven years. President Joe Biden has given his full throated endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris, but who will the former prosecutor pick as her running mate for this November's showdown with Donald Trump. Biden, 81, shocked the world Sunday in announcing that he wouldn't be running again in 2024. He immediately announced that he would be supporting Harris' as his replacement. Following that development, small donors swarmed around Harris, 59, donating nearly $50 million to her campaign. In addition, it's likely that Harris will have access to the moneys already raised by Biden for his reelection. That would leave her with a war chest of around $150 million. In addition to raising money, Harris also earned the support many in the Democratic Party, notably the Clinton family as well as some whose names who were mooted as possible challengers to her at the Democratic National Convention. There are still several big names within the Democratic Party who have not thrown their weight behind the former senator from California, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Senator Chuck Schumer and former President Barack Obama. Who is in line to get on the ticket with the current vice president: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer Although yet to publicly endorse Harris, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is likely to add her much needed support in a must-win state for the Democrats One of the most popular governors in the country and with a rising national profile, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 52, has publicly endorsed Kamala Harris but did not do so immediately. On Sunday evening, CBS News reported that it was unlikely that Whitmer will mount a campaign challenge to Harris. In a state that the Democrat's must win in 2024, Whitmer won her state by a huge margin in 2022, adding to her appeal. The Michigan State University graduate has also made abortion rights a key part of her agenda, something that's likely to be a major issue in 2024. Whitmer, who has held office since 2019 and been a Biden loyalist, did warn that the president would have hard time winning Michigan in the aftermath of his disastrous debate performance in June. Politico reported on Monday morning that Whitmer participated in a call with Harris staffers which included her offering her support in the battleground state. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear with his wife Britainy Beshear celebrating his re-election in November 2023 Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has also endorsed Harris and has seen his name mentioned my multiple media sources in his home state as a potential vice presidential candidate. Like other Democratic governors, Beshear, 46, would be an appealing choice for Harris. Biden lost Kentucky by a wide margin in 2020 so it's unlikely the governor could help out in that regard. However, he could offer an attractive counter balance to Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance's appeal to voters in the rust belt. Maryland Governor Wes Moore Maryland Governor Wes Moore thanked President Joe Biden for his service in a message but did not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris Maryland Governor Wes Moore, 45, says that he's all in for Harris in 2024. It's unlikely Moore would have the national profile to raise campaign funds necessary to challenge Harris for the nomination. Moore did issue an endearing statement following Biden's announcement. 'His legacy of hard work, dedication, optimism, and strength have shaped the trajectory of our nation and made us better as a people and as a country,' he wrote in part. CBS News reports that Moore will endorse Harris later on Monday, leading to further speculation that he could be in line for the vice presidential nomination. In an appearance on Face the Nation in June, Moore said that he would not seek the nomination in 2024 while Biden was party leader. California Governor Gavin Newsom California Governor Gavin Newsome seemingly dispelled rumors about a potential run for the White House in being quickly to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris' candidacy Long considered to be the great-white-hope of the Democratic Party, California Governor Gavin Newsom, 56, was being mooted by some as Biden's replacement before Sunday's shock announcement. Newsom was quick to endorse Harris, indicating that he's not thinking about a run in 2024. 'Tough. Fearless. Tenacious,' he wrote on X. 'With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trumps dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than Americas Vice President, @KamalaHarris,' he wrote. However on Monday, a Democratic pollster circulated a memo within party circles indicating that Newsom would be in a strong position if he chose to get in the race, reports Politico. The data in the memo reportedly shows that Newsom and Harris are both trailing Trump by two points. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly Senator Mark Kelly, shown here with his wife Gabby Giffords, says the couple are fully behind Harris in 2024 Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, 60, a darling of the Democratic Party for years, has endorsed Harris ahead of the 2024 election. 'I couldnt be more confident that Vice President @KamalaHarris is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future,' Kelly wrote on X. 'She has my support for the nomination, and Gabby [Giffords] and I will do everything we can to elect her President of the United States.' This has led Kelly to be under consideration to be vice president with Arizona likely to be an important swing state once again. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Biden loyalist Pete Buttigieg, considered by many to have a bright future in the Democratic Party, is behind Harris The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has held a reasonably high profile in the Biden administration since taking over as the secretary for transportation. Peter Buttigieg, 42, a Biden loyalist, has echoed the president in endorsing Harris' candidacy. 'Kamala Harris is now the right person to take up the torch, defeat Donald Trump, and succeed Joe Biden as president,' he wrote on X. Early betting odds show that Buttigieg is the favorite to be Harris' running mate. The secretary ran a brief presidential campaign in 2020 before dropping out and supporting Biden. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, shown here with Kamala Harris earlier this month, was one of the first governors to support the vice president's candidacy Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, 51, threw his support behind Harris on Sunday, not long after Biden's announcement. 'I've known Kamala Harris for nearly two decades we've both been prosecutors, we've both stood up for the rule of law, we've both fought for the people and delivered results,' he said in a statement. 'Kamala Harris is a patriot worthy of our support and she will continue the work of generations of Americans who came before us to perfect our union, protect our democracy, and advance real freedom.' She has served the country honorably as Vice President and she is ready to be President,' he said in a statement. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper Harris, Biden and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper pictured at an event in March 2024 North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, 67, has issued a message of support for Harris' candidacy on Sunday evening. 'Kamala Harris should be the next President. Ive known @VP going back to our days as AGs, and she has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity.,' he wrote. 'I look forward to campaigning for her as we work to win NC up and down the ticket.' His name is now being bandied about as a potential vice president. Last week, Cooper stumped for Harris during her appearance in Fayetteville, gaining applause with his line: 'He's a convicted felon, a chronic liar and the king of chaos. Do we want Donald Trump's America?' In her speech, Harris called Cooper 'a dear friend.' Luxury brands are quietly slashing the prices of designer handbags after getting ideas above their station. Brands including Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent have spent years ramping up the cost of their sought-after accessories in a bid to improve their cachet. But Burberry has lopped 22 percent off the cost of its medium-sized Knight handbag, and YSL has cut the cost of its Loulou bag by 10 percent after discovering they had squeezed out the customers who keep them in business. 'When you move upmarket, you can't start with raising prices; you have to start with desirability,' said Pauline Brown, former chair of the LVMH which owns Louis Vuitton. 'None of this happens overnight you have to bring the consumer along with you.' Supermodel Irina Shayk is among a legion of celebrity fans for Burberry's iconic handbags but the company is cutting prices after being accused of pricing out its loyal customers Yves Saint Laurent has also started cutting prices as its bid for exclusivity hit the bottom line There are around 2.5 million people worldwide who spend more than $20,000 a year on luxury goods, according to analysis by the Boston Consulting Group But they account for just 10 percent of sales, while more than half of sales are made to around 330 million people who spend less than $2,000 a year. Burberry has lopped 22 percent off the cost of its medium sized Knight handbag Spending by both groups has plummeted since the pandemic as consumers have tightened their belts at a time when luxury brands have been ramping up prices in a bid to retain their 'exclusive' image. But Burberry sacked its chief executive last week after its fourth profit warning in nine months as its share price dropped to a 14-year low. German designer Hugo Boss has also issued a profit warning and net profits at Swatch are down 70 percent so far this year because of a 'huge reduction in demand' from customers in China. Burberry has now slashed the price of its Knight handbag and knocked 5 percent off the price of all bags designed by top designer Daniel Lee. While Yves Saint Laurent Loulou bags can now be bought for $2,650 in US stores down $300 since January, according to the WSJ. And the stakes have grown higher with the sale of handbags now accounting for an average of 45 percent of luxury brand revenue up from 34 percent in 2008. New Burberry CEO Joshua Schulman has promised to make its luxury goods more accessible to its most loyal customers. But its small Lola bag still costs over $2,000 40 percent more than before the pandemic, while YSL's Loulou bag could be bought for $2,050 at the start of 2021. Only the most exclusive brands appear able to snub the purchasing power of the middle class, with Cartier owner Richemont last week reporting a four percent rise in sales for its jewelry brands including Van Cleef & Arpels. Gucci is doubling down on plans to prioritize its wealthiest customers, the WSJ reported, while analysts will be closely watching earning reports from Hermes and Louis Vuitton later this week. The tail-off in US sales has been mirrored in the massive Chinese market where consumers are being squeezed by a prolonged crunch in house prices. And luxury brands have been nervously watching moves by cheaper rivals to scoop up customers they have alienated. Chinese manufacturers including Songmont which produce quality goods that heavily undercut their upmarket rivals are eating into the luxury market previously dominated by Western brands,' the WSJ reported. 'Brands cannot afford to alienate these customers,' warned analyst Claudia D'Arpizio of Bain & Company. Plans to remove a prominent road between two beauty spots are moving forward due to flooding and environmental concerns in Maine. The saga is occurring in southern Maine, where the towns of Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth have decided to forgo the frequently flooded stretch of Sawyer Road. The part in question is a quarter-mile segment that crosses the Spurwink River. Without it, drivers will have to use alternate routes to travel between the two communities. Removal of the marshy road is slated to start in December 2026, officials from both towns confirmed. Scroll down for video: Plans to remove a prominent road between two beauty spots are moving forward due to flooding and environmental concerns in Maine The saga is occurring in southern Maine , where the towns of Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth have decided to forgo the frequently flooded stretch of Sawyer Road, seen here following storms this past December 'How long do you continue to fight Mother Nature?' Maine Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Dale Doughty told The Bangor Daily News Friday of the decision. 'It comes down to a value judgment. We need to take a hard look at how we fund road repairs and improvements.' 'I think that is in our future,' Joyce Taylor, chief engineer for the agency, added, as it now mulls abandoning other flood-prone roads that get less traffic. But that's not the case with Sawyer, locals say - despite often having to take a detour anyway due to flooding, adding a few minutes to their drive. 'Shutting that road is probably gonna increase traffic through the town of Cape Elizabeth quite significantly,' Scarborough resident Mark Coleman told Fox 23 earlier this year. 'I think a lot of people are gonna be disturbed or upset that they'd even consider closing it,' he added. He and others who live near Sawyer have aired those concerns about how a permanent closure could impact traffic. However, because of the costs of addressing ongoing water damage, along with the writing on the wall involving climate change, officials like Scarborough Sustainability Manager Jami Fitch say repairing the low-lying road is no longer worth it. 'It's a trade-off that we have to make in the face of rising sea levels,' one officials said after the two towns came up with the plan in February in the wake of repeated floods like these The part in question is a quarter-mile segment that crosses the Spurwink River, seen overflowed in February Without it, drivers will be forced to use alternate routes to travel between the two communities Removal of the marshy road is slated to start in December 2026, officials from both towns confirmed - spurring some to air concerns about how a such a closure could impact traffic. Drivers will forced to cross using other roads a few minutes away 'It's a trade-off that we have to make in the face of rising sea levels,' she told the station when officials came up with the plan in February. 'The road is blocking tidal flow,' she added, motioning to how the road splits the Spurwink Marsh in two. 'The culvert is not allowing enough water to pass through,' she explained. 'So, we're really affecting the function of the marsh in this area.' At another point in the interview, after some characteristic heavy rains hit the area, he pointed out a portion of the street just off the road was filled with water. 'We have this large pool here next to the road,' she said, a month after the road was completely flooded following a storm in January. 'That's not supposed to be there.' He and other officials in both Scarborough and Elizabeth received a $1.6million grant from the state to remove the road and restore the marsh to preserve the surrounding environment. 'Shutting that road is probably gonna increase traffic through the town of Cape Elizabeth quite significantly,' Scarborough resident Mark Coleman told Fox 23 However, because of the costs of addressing ongoing water damage, along with the writing on the wall involving climate change, officials like Scarborough Sustainability Manager Jami Fitch - seen here in February - say repairing the low-lying road is no longer worth it Officials were forced to commandeer boats for rescues this past December when storm surge caused the road to flood yet again Now set to more forward, the plan will now require both towns to fork over a further $185,000 - a cost incurred by building a dead-end on each side. The road will be removed in two phases, officials said - between December 2026 and April 2027 But with scenes from that recent storm that forced residents to commandeer boats and kayaks to stay above the surge fresh in his memory, residents say it's more than that. 'There's been a lot of flooding,' said Paul Hayes, who lives near the marsh and the street. 'We saw a car float away in the storm in mid-January.' Now set to more forward, the plan will now require both towns to fork over a further $185,000 - a cost incurred by building a dead-end on each side. Once gone, travelers between the two towns will only need to drive about five minutes away to other connecting roads - something some have said they are already used to when the road floods and closes to traffic. Meanwhile, other parts of Maine - notorious for its rains and wetlands - are confronting similar problems, with riverfront communities ranging from Bangor, Hallowell, Skowhegan, Lincoln, Gardiner, Augusta to Lewiston regularly contending with rising water. Communities along the coast in particular bear the brunt of the weather events, which cause dangerous storm surge and flooding. 'Communities were literally cut off [from the rest of the state],' Taylor said of the Rumford area during a storm this past December. 'Our job is to convey people safely, especially in storms,' he continued, as officials commit to keeping repeatedly affected roads like the mountainous Route 2 corridor despite the cost. 'Emergency access is something we have to consider if we go in and spend money.' The road will be removed in two phases, between December 2026 and April 2027. They were once the bastion of classic cars like the Corvette, the Mustang and the Chrysler 300. But today the 'Big Three' American automakers - General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - make few car models other than SUVs and giant pickup trucks. A recent report by the Boston Globe claimed the three manufacturers only make eight actual cars. However, an analysis by DailyMail.com found there were 13. Across the roughly 120 vehicles they make, sedans make up about 10 percent. And most of those sedans are high performance muscle cars that aren't practical for the average person or family. Ford's only sedan in production is the Mustang, while Chrysler discontinued production of the Chrysler 300, its only remaining large sedan, in 2023. GM, which owns Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac, manufactures 11 small cars, but again, most of them are built with horsepower or luxury in mind, not practicality. The Chevy Camaro, the Corvette and the Cadillac CT4 dominate GM's car lineup. Pictured: A 1969 yellow classic Ford Mustang American car Pictured: A 2023 Ford Mach-E Mustang. This is the first electric SUV version of the Mustang that first went on sale in December 2020. Regular gas-powered Mustangs are a key part of Ford's lineup Out of the big three, it appears the only remaining non-luxury, non-sports car that's still churning out new models every year is the Chevy Malibu. Ford CEO Jim Farley acknowledges the problem - the fact that American car makers like his own have essentially ceded sedan sales over to Asian manufacturers like Toyota and Honda. The Toyota Camry is the best-selling sedan in the US by far this year, with the Honda Civic close behind, according to Kelley Blue Book data. There simply is no American-made sedan that comes anywhere near that level of dominance. 'We have to start to get back in love with smaller vehicles. It's super important for our society and for EV adoption,' Farley told the Globe. Of course, there's a reason why American automakers have spent the last ten years or so ditching small cars for 'monster vehicles,' as Farley puts it. Ford's F-Series pickup trucks have been America's best-selling vehicle for decades and remains the most popular even to this day. A modified white Ford F-250 pictured in January 2020. This truck is among the best selling vehicle lineup in the US The Chevy Silverado 1500, pictured, is the second most popular car in the US The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the most successful American-made SUVs with US consumers Similarly, a 2024 analysis by iSeeCars found that SUVs - or Sport Utility Vehicles - are the dominant mode of transportation in 48 out of 50 states, with California and Hawaii being the only places where drivers prefer smaller cars. That's likely because California and Hawaii have some of the highest gas prices in the country, and traditionally, the most fuel efficient cars are sedans. Bigger vehicles didn't always have a stranglehold on the market like this. In 2012, GM, Ford and Chrysler brought in a roughly equal amount of cash from cars and trucks, according to industry watcher AutoPacific. By around 2014 or 2015, the writing was on the wall that governments around the world would eventually impose stricter caps on emissions to deal with climate change. Nearly every nation on Earth committed to the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016. The car industry's response to this was to sell as many vehicles with internal combustion engines as they could before the crackdown began. Then the pandemic struck in 2020, bringing supply chains to a screeching halt. This was a problem for car makers because as vehicles get more sophisticated and computerized, they need semiconductor chips, which were in radically short supply at the time. The Chevy Malibu is the only remaining non-luxury, non-sports car made by any one of the big three US auto manufacturers The Toyota Camry, pictured, is the best-selling sedan in the US by far this year, dominating the market over the shrinking number of American-made sedans Ed Kim from AutoPacific told the Globe that car companies focused even more heavily on the big vehicles in their lineup because it made them the most money. 'If you are an automaker and youve got a limited supply of chips and parts, if you are only going to make so many vehicles, you are going to prioritize the most profitable models,' he said. However, with the advent of Tesla becoming one of the most highly valued companies in the world during the 2021 electric vehicle craze, some American car makers attempted a pivot. GM was one, announcing in January 2021 that it would electrify its entire lineup by 2035. It even aired a Super Bowl ad that year featuring Will Ferrell that challenged Norway's EV dominance. But when it became clear in late 2023 that the market wasn't quite ready to completely shift over to EVs, GM abandoned its goal of producing 400,000 electric cars by mid-2024, The Wall Street Journal reported. So, the company ran back into the arms of its cash cow, the gas-powered light truck. This paid off, with the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra remaining some of the best-selling cars in the US. A 2024 Chevrolet Silverado electric pick-up truck at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show Although the shift from compact cars to trucks has been profitable, its had a huge impact on the environment and infrastructure. The Environmental Protection Agency said the transportation sector - which includes all types of cars - accounted for largest percentage of human-contributed green house gas emissions in 2022. Passenger cars and light duty vehicles like SUVs and light trucks made up 57 percent of emissions, while medium and heavy-duty trucks alone represented 23 percent. Heavier duty trucks emit more planet-warming gases than trains, ships, and planes combined. And SUVs were found to be the second largest contributor to increases in emissions over the years of 2010 to 2018, the exact years this type of vehicle began to dominate the roads. Beyond the environmental impact of larger cars, the country's roads, bridges and parking lots haven't been able to keep up with growing vehicle sizes. Transport & Environment, a European advocacy group, estimates that vehicles are getting wider by roughly four-tenths of an inch every year. A modified Chevy Silverado barely fitting in a parking lot and dwarfing the sedans next to it This regular Ford F-150 still struggles to fit inside a parking space in an underground garage This is wreaking havoc in Europe where half of vehicles sold are now wider than the government-set parking space, something agreed upon in the 1990s when the average car was much smaller. But even the US, whose citizens have long had a penchant for big vehicles, it is common to see a pickup truck failing to fit within the white lines of a parking spot. Plus, heavy trucks contribute to the wear and tear of roads and bridges. The average pickup is 5,000 to 7,000 pounds, whereas the average car is just 4,300 pounds, according to the EPA. 'We are just in love with these monster vehicles, and I love them, too, but its a major issue with weight,' Farley said. Despite the myriad problems with SUVs and trucks, there is no indication that demand is slowing down even a little bit. SUVs are perceived as safer than sedans, with plenty of studies to back that up. Plus, many drivers like the greater storage space they afford along with the higher view of the road. And the numbers don't lie: pickup trucks and SUVs are four of the five best-selling vehicles in the US. A Massachusetts woman who refused to euthanize her terminally ill 14-year-old dog appeared before the state's supreme court after being accused of animal cruelty. Maryann Russo's cockapoo named Tipper died at home in 2021 after she brought him to the vet on multiple occasions to treat a large mass on the side of his body. Russo allegedly refused to allow the sick pup - whom she called an 'absolute joy' - to have surgery to have the mass removed on December 25, 2020. She opted to take him home instead. Just three weeks later, she brought him back to the doctor with worsening conditions, including a necrotic mass, anemia, open bed sores and difficulty breathing. The vet recommended euthanasia which Russo refused. On July 15, the Quincy District Court and the Appeal Court ruled that Russo will not face criminal animal cruelty charges for going against the doctor's advice and allowing Tipper to die at home. Maryann Russo's cockapoo named Tipper (pictured) died at home in 2021 after she brought him to the vet on multiple occasions for a large mass that grew on the side of his body 'She wanted to euthanize him over the cellphone and I panicked and I ran up there to go and grab him,' Russo (pictured) said in March Russo's attorney, Jason Bolio, told DailyMail.com that his client 'loved her dog more than anything in the world,' and is was a 'tragedy she was ever charged' in the first place. Justice Frank Gaziano, who authorized the final decision, said that the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office failed to prove Russo intended to harm her sick dog, citing 'insufficient evidence of criminal intent.' Poll Do you agree with the owner's decision? Yes No Do you agree with the owner's decision? Yes 160 votes No 245 votes Now share your opinion 'Our opinion should not be read to condone the conduct alleged in the complaint or take a position one way or the other regarding 'complicated' and "heartbreaking" end of life decisions. 'Instead, we hold, on these facts, that the defendant committed no crime,' Gaziano wrote. After initially bringing Tipper to the doctor, the vet recommended that the dog have surgery to remove the mass on his side which his owner refused, according to court records. Weeks later, Russo brought her sick dog back in, who could barely walk or stand, and asked for the surgery. The veterinarian informed her that they feared the cockapoo would not survive the procedure, and instead recommended euthanasia. 'She wanted to euthanize him over the cellphone and I panicked and I ran up there to go and grab him,' Russo told WHDH in March. Russo then said she would have another professional put her dog down, but the vet became suspicious and reported the incident. While at home, Russo said that Tipper 'was eating like a horse, drinking everything' and 'recovering.' Three weeks after a vet recommended that Tipper undergo surgery for the mass on his side, Russo, who refused it at first, came back in. The vet said the procedure would be risky and that the dog should be put down After the vet reported Russo, a state police officer went to her home to check on the dog, who she said was not in pain and in good health, court records said. When the officer arrived at the home, he immediately thought otherwise and claimed that Tipper, who exhibited shallow breathing, 'appeared to be deceased,' according to court records. The investigator then obtained a warrant and Tipper was soon euthanized. A month later, Russo was charged with violating the animal cruelty statute, alleging that she allowed Tipper to experience 'unnecessary suffering.' 'The reason they apply for a search warrant and seize an animal is because they are watching it suffer. Thats the only remedy in the law,' Lynsey Legier, an attorney at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals animal protection division, told The Boston Globe. Legier explained that in this case, 'the only option to prevent that suffering happened to be humane euthanasia.' The state and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association, the Animal Rescue League of Boston, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals argued that Russo caused more pain and harm to her sick pet. However, Gazino concluded that she tried to get the best care for Tipper. 'The defendant brought Tipper to the animal hospital twice seeking medical care. 'Faced with difficult choices, the defendant took Tipper home to die with the understanding that nothing could be done to alleviate his pain, short of euthanasia,' Gazino said. Bolio told Boston.com he and his client were pleased with the ruling. 'The case is all about her and what shes been through in the last four years. 'Her dog was seized from her four years ago and euthanized without even giving her the opportunity to say goodbye. She was prosecuted for felonies under the threat of jail for four years, so yesterday was a really good day for her and for her family,' Bolio said on Tuesday. Russo's attorney, Jason Bolio, said he and his client were pleased with the ruling. 'Her dog was seized from her four years ago and euthanized without even giving her the opportunity to say goodbye,' he said The Animal Legal Defense Fund said they were 'disheartened' by the final decision. '[It] denies justice to Tipper who suffered in agony while his guardian refused to provide necessary palliative care, despite having easy access to medication and treatment options which would have alleviated Tippers pain,' senior staff attorney Kathleen Wood said. 'This decision undercuts the clear intent of Massachusetts animal cruelty law, which is to protect animals from unnecessary pain and suffering.' Jeremy Cohen, an attorney who practices pet law, told The Boston Globe that the law surrounding animal abuse in Massachusetts is too vague. 'So much is based on the eye test right now,' he said. 'If your dog is too fat or if you purposely stabbed a dog, youre charged with the same crime.' 'For that reason, the Legislature should clarify the animal cruelty statute,' Cohen added. The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office told DailyMail.com that the 'court does not comment on decisions.' DailyMail.com contacted Bolio for comment. Sen. Joe Manchin insists he is 'not running' for president amid reports he was considering re-registering as a Democrat to launch a bid against Vice President Kamala Harris. Amid reports Sunday claiming Manchin was weighing a bid, the West Virginia Senator came on the airwaves on Monday morning to reiterate he has no intention of joining the race in the wake of President Joe Biden dropping out. 'I am not going to be a candidate for president,' Manchin told CBS Mornings. 'I'm a candidate for, basically, speaking for the middle of this country.' He added that 'neither side can win without the sensible, moderate middle.' Manchin, who in May changed his registration from Democrat to independent, also said the Democratic Party is making a mistake by getting behind Harris instead of holding an expedited primary process before the Convention next month. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent, reiterated Monday morning that he has not plans to jump in the presidential race now that President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris 'I am not running for office,' the senator said on Monday morning. 'I'm not looking for I don't need that as far as in my life the attention that people think when you speak up you're just looking for attention. Earlier in the 2024 primary cycle, the third-party No Labels was looking to tap Manchin for a split party ticket in the name of bipartisanship but could not get commitments from two candidates to make a legitimate bid. Manchin is not seeking reelection to his Senate seat but says he plans to remain in politics. Mostly, the independent wants to see an open process that would see Americans weigh-in on who they want on the Democratic ticket, rather than letting Biden choose Harris as his replacement. 'I could not believe there was not going to be a primary process or a mini process,' Manchin told CBS on Monday morning. 'Other countries do it.' 'That's already been predetermined so we'll see what happens. I think it's a mistake.' Before Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday, Manchin was on the morning shows telling the President to step aside while reiterating he would not run to take his place on the Democratic ticket. Manchin thinks it's a 'mistake' to select Harris as the replacement instead of hold an expedited primary process that would allow Americans to weigh-in on their choice for November's ticket Fox News Sunday host Margaret Brennan asked Manchin if he would join a ticket with Harris: 'Would you consider a vice presidential spot on that ticket?' 'No forget about me,' Machin replied. 'You're not going to run?' Brennan followed up. 'No, this is a new generation, Margaret,' he said. 'We've got a lot of deep people on the bench to conserve give them a chance to rise.' Nine in ten chief executives regularly work from home despite companies trying to force workers back to their desks, a study has revealed. Only seven per cent of the bosses surveyed said they worked from a central office all five days of the working week. A staggering 90 per cent split their time between the head office, 'flexible' workplaces and their homes, according to The Times. Two thirds admitted believing they would lose staff if they forced employees to come into the office every day, and three quarters said embracing hybrid working helped bring in high quality talent. It comes amid Labour's plans for a 'skivers' charter', under which new French-style laws will give employees a string of rights from their first day in the job, including the right to work from home, access to sick pay and protection from unfair dismissal. But Sir Keir Starmer has been warned the radical overhaul of employment rights featured in his first legislative package risks mass job losses and firms going bust. Sir Keir Starmer has been warned the radical overhaul of employment rights - including greater flexibility - risks mass job losses Flexible working practices, such as 'exploitative' zero-hours contracts, will be banned and employers will be forced to pay a higher minimum wage to younger workers (stock photo) Under controversial 'French style' reforms led by deputy PM Angela Rayner, staff would get a 'right to switch off' and ignore attempts by their bosses to contact them out of hours A survey of more than 500 bosses found that the chief executives are more likely to be in the office than not, with only two per cent spending most of their week at home. The main attraction of WFH was cited as avoiding a long commute, and bosses said offering more flexibility to their staff meant they could consider a more diverse range of applicants. However, despite the poll results, some businesses are trying to force workers back to their desks with school-like policies such as monitoring attendances and swipe-card data. One example of these demands is Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, ordering the club's staff to return to the office full-time or to find another job. Politicians have also tried to convince civil service to come back to the office. The Prime Minister vowed to replace 'snake oil populism' with 'determined, patient work and serious solutions'. He said the new Employment Rights Bill would 'level up workers' rights, so every person has security, respect and dignity at work'. But Rishi Sunak urged the new government not to impose 'new burdens on businesses' which could have 'unintended consequences'. 'They could lead to firms being less likely to invest and less likely to hire,' he said. Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of S4 Capital, said: 'The devil will be in the details, but it will make employers more hesitant to hire.' Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins said Sir Keir had 'opened the floodgates for disaster'. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, ordered the club's staff to return to the office full-time or to find another job Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak on their way to hear the speech in the House of Lords chamber But Unite union boss Sharon Graham welcomed the package, saying it was 'key to rebalancing the relationship between employers and workers, making work fairer'. It comes as MailOnline revealed some of the most ridiculous excuses used by some workers to WFH. These included not wanting to go out in the rain, having to look after a relative's pet, and not being able to find house keys. Shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake told MailOnline 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.' Labour's 'New Deal for Workers' was being headed up by Ms Rayner in opposition, but has seemingly now been given to Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. The Government said the measures represent the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation, stressing that ministers will work with unions and business to finalise details. Flexible working is being made the 'default', although there is a caveat that this is only 'as far as is reasonable'. The Tory government's reforms of union powers, including minimum service levels in areas like rail, will be abolished. The process of getting recognition for unions in workplaces will also be 'simplified', although there are few details. Last year, Jeremy Hunt warned that working from home can hit 'creativity' as he insisted going into the office should be the 'default' option. The former Chancellor acknowledged video conferencing and other remote tools offer some 'exciting opportunities' including being able to 'stay in touch' with work while looking after a baby. The Government figures on staff attendance at departmental HQs reveals that the average office is 61 per cent full Jeremy Hunt warned that working from home can hit 'creativity' as he insisted going into the office should be the 'default' option But he said he 'worried' that firms were losing out through staff not being able to 'bounce ideas off each other' - suggesting people should be in the office unless there was a 'good reason'. Asked about home working at the BCC conference in London, Mr Hunt said: 'I think it's something for businesses to find their own way through. 'There are some very exciting opportunities created by the fact that we've all learned to use Zoom and Teams for meetings.' He suggested that it could help new mothers stay in touch with the workplace and provide 'choices' for workers with mobility issues. 'One example is childcare. It's not now the case that someone who has a baby needs to be completely out of contact for years and years,' he said. When interviewer joked that people being interrupted by children was 'the joy of the Zoom call', he said: 'We all accept that and it's absolutely fine.' Aides insisted Mr Hunt had not been endorsing mothers working from home with babies. But he added: 'On the other hand, there is nothing like sitting around the table, seeing people face-to-face, developing team spirit and I worry about the loss of creativity when people are permanently working from home and not having those water cooler moments where they bounce ideas off each other. 'Not every great business idea happens in a structured, formal meeting.' Mr Hunt said businesses were now calling for staff to come in. 'I think the default will be 'you work in the office unless there's a good reason not to be in the office' and gradually we are getting there,' he said. Chaos broke out in a Washington DC courtroom as a teenage girl accused of beating a vulnerable 64-year-old man to death attacked a deputy US Marshal. The 13-year-old defendant reportedly punched the officer during a hearing on Friday, leading to her being removed from the courtroom on a stretcher, according to reports from Law and Crime. Prosecutors also revealed that the group of girls took selfies after recording their fatal attack on Reggie Brown, 64, on October 17, 2023. Brown, of Northwest DC, was brutally beaten to death by the three girls, age 12 and 13. Officers responded to a call in the 6200 block of Georgia Avenue where they found Brown suffering from brutal blunt force trauma before he died at the scene. Chaos broke out in a Washington DC courtroom as a teenage girl accused of beating a vulnerable 64-year-old man to death attacked a deputy US Marshal Reggie Brown of Northwest D.C. was 64-years-old when he was brutally beaten to death by the three girls, age 12 and 13, on Georgia Avenue in October. Prosecutors revealed that the group of girls took selfies after recording their fatal attack Shocking video seen by detectives showed the physically handicapped man being kicked and stomped on by the pre-teens. Detective Harry Singleton testified that a man in a blue coat threw the 64-year-old to the ground and then the suspect along with the group of girls chased Brown as he tried to escape. After the 1am beating, the girls 'appeared to be in a celebratory mood' as they walked away from the scene of the crime. An autopsy determined that he died of blunt force trauma and was a homicide victim. 'My uncle really didn't deserve this,' a niece of Brown's said in a statement to News4. 'He was known in this community for years so for this to happen where he lived for 64 [years] is insane. They have to be held accountable!' Detective Singleton found no connection between Brown and the three girls, who are not being identified due to their ages. In a twist of events, the 12-year-old girl linked to the crime was shot in her apartment on Friday at around 4am. Her Peabody Street apartment in the 500 block is only about a half-mile away from the scene of the brutal beating. The gunshot hit the girl in the leg and she was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police have not said whether the gunfire came from inside or outside of the apartment - but video of the scene shows a shattered pane of a first-floor window. 'Horrific' video seen by detectives showed the physically handicapped man being kicked and stomped on by the pre-teens A neighbor told News4 that they heard a loud bang and then saw two youngsters jump from a broken window and run down an alley. Five months after the beating of the 64-year-old disabled man, the three girls have been arrested in relation to Reggie Brown's death. In March, the 12-year-old and one of the 113-year-olds were charged with second-degree murder, the other 13-year-old was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on Thursday. Investigators took a number of young people into custody and several officers were seen using flashlights to inspect the scene before dawn. All three of the girls involved are resident of Northwest D.C. but it remains unclear how and if they knew Brown or how the detectives built their case against the pre-teens. Vice President Kamala Harris made history Sunday as the first VP to be called upon in the 11th hour to step and try to campaign and win the election with just 106 days before Election Day. She's is in a race against time to win the hearts of 4,700 Democratic convention delegates - the elected officials, former presidents and Democratic superdelegates that Biden won in the primary. While his vice president was not in his tight circle, Biden called her to inform her of his decision on Sunday. Harris moved immediately to start working the phones to get party luminaries on board, especially Democrats rumored to launch their own campaigns. According to reports, Harris spent more than 10 hours on the phone after Biden's announcement dressed casually in a hooded Howard University sweatshirt and workout sweats, according to CNN. Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) talks on the phone as she rides on her campaign bus She wore sneakers and snacked on pizza with anchovies for dinner as she frantically worked the phone. With Bidens endorsement, Harris moved quickly to solidify support and the results were significant. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shaprio, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper all announced their support for Harris before the day was over. Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton also signaled their support on social media. Kamala Harris attends a music festival in California Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff arrive in the East Room of the White House, Most notably, Harris ascension to the top of the ticket raised $49.6 million in just one afternoon as skeptical Democratic donors finally opened up their wallets after Bidens decision to step down. The pro-abortion political action committee EMILYs List announced plans to spend at least $20 million to support Harris. But Harris has yet to obtain an endorsement from former President Barack Obama, a surprise, since he has generously helped her throughout her political career and even advised her as she struggled in her first three years as Vice President. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also failed to endorse Harris, despite serving with her as a California Democrat. Kamala's Presidential Reboot: Prosecute Trump As advisors scramble to reassert Harris on the global stage, the Vice President plans to return to an old campaign theme she first debuted during her failed 2020 presidential campaign: The prosecutor. As a former prosector, Harris frequently speaks about her abilities to prosecute the case against Trump. After Trump was convicted in a Manhattan court of multiple felonies, Harris was further motivated the Harris team to drive home the comparison. That language was echoed in statements of support from fellow Democrats. With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trumps dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than Americas Vice President, Newsom wrote on social media. Harris supporters shared with reporters an old campaign ad from her failed 2019 primary featuring Harris a no-nonsense prosecutor taking on Trump to demonstrate her strengths in the ongoing process. But that ad was the product of Harris advisory team in November 2019 when her campaign was only running on fumes. Still, Harris supporters view her image as a prosecutor as a benefit, even though her law enforcement record and image as the top cop of California hurt her in the 2019 primaries. Democrats frustrated with Bidens failures to confront Trump during the debate are now eager to see her tackle Trump. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden at the White House Vice President Kamala Harris talks with first lady Jill Biden in Washington, DC A key figure in the 'cover-up' Republicans began questioning Harris about how involved she was in covering up the issue of Bidens frailty and mental decline. Throughout the reelection campaign, Harris defended Biden as one of the boldest and strongest presidents ever and tireless in terms of working. She said that Biden was gonna be fine, and said he was in good shape, in good health. Kamala Harris is at the beating heart of this conspiracy, former Trump aide Steven Miller said on Fox News after Bidens disastrous debate in June. She needs to be hauled in front of Congress immediately to answer questions: What did Kamala know? When did she know it? And why did she lie to us all? Harris has to explain to voters why she helped cover up details about Bidens condition or was not trusted enough to remain in his inner circle to know the truth. Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she heads to her car after arriving in Savannah, Ga. US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the press The failed border czar Trump campaign chief Chris LaCivita spoke to reporters during the Republican National Convention, hinting that the campaign was already preparing to run against Harris. When asked about her greatest political weaknesses, LaCivita replied shortly 'border czar.' Republicans successfully branded Harris as Biden's chosen figure to handle the border crisis, even as she and her staff worked mightily to side-step the responsibility, insisting she was only in charge of 'root causes' of migration in countries like El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. Republicans believe they can remind voters of how flippant she was on the issue of border security and how she failed so badly on the issue that Biden had to reassume the administration's messaging on the issue. NewsNation correspondent Ali Bradley reported that Harris had not spoken with Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens or former Chief Raul Ortiz since she was asked to lead the administration's response on the border. An organ donor recipient has penned a powerful letter to a top cop and his wife thanking them for a second chance at life after the couple agreed to donate their teenage son's organs. Charlie Stevens, the son of South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, was with friends waiting for a bus to head to Schoolies celebrations when he was struck by a car driven by Dhirren Randhawa in Goolwa, south of Adelaide, on November 17 last year. Charlie, 18, was airlifted to Flinders Medical Centre but died the next day from a severe brain injury, surrounded by his family. The apprentice tradie's legacy continues after his parents respected his wishes to be an organ donor, which has extended the lives of seven people. Eight months on, Commissioner Stevens and his wife Emma have already received letters from three donor recipients and read out parts of one on Channel Seven's Sunrise on Monday. 'In many ways I've been given the gift of life again, the opportunity to look at the future and see my kids go through school, reach milestone and maybe even get married,' the letter read. 'This is what your family has given me.' Commissioner Stevens admitted the letters were hard to read but beautiful to receive. Charlie Stevens's final act before he died last November extended the lives of seven Aussies 'Difficult to read but knowing the impact Charlie has had gives us some sense of comfort,' he said. Respecting Charlie's wishes was an easy decision for his grieving parents, despite having no idea that he had registered to be a donor on his driver's licence. 'Charlie, he wanted to do that. So we just thought that that would keep Charlie with us for a bit longer, an emotional Ms Stevens said as she fought back tears. Her husband added: 'We never thought when Charlie did tick that box that we'd be in the situation where our family would be asked to confirm his decision. 'So it made it so much easier knowing that that's what Charlie wanted.' The couple admitted they're still struggling to coming to terms with the tragedy, despite having previously forgiven Rhandhawa. 'We still feel it every day,' Commissioner Stevens said. 'But the way that people in South Australia and right around Australia have reached out to us. "I suppose it's softened the blow a little bit but it's still very difficult.' Charlie's parents has no idea that their youngest child was a registered organ donor Eight months on, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and his wife Emma are still struggling with their unimaginable loss Just 36 per cent of Australians are registered to be an organ donor, a sad reality that Commissioner Stevens and his family wants to see changed. 'We never thought when Charlie did tick that box that we'd be in a situation where our family would be asked to confirm his (organ donation) decision, it made it so much easier knowing that's what Charlie wanted,' he said. 'The more people who sign up, the better offer we will all be. 'There are 1,800 people waiting for a life-saving donation. The more people who make that decision early in the piece, the more people who are likely to get that gift.' Rhandhawa was initially charged with causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated driving without due care, leaving the scene of a crash after death and failing to truly answer question. Charlie (pictured left) was waiting for a bus to head to Schoolies celebrations in Victor Harbor when tragedy struck. He's pictured with his dad, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens However, in a plea deal, he admitted to a charge of aggravated driving without due care and leaving the scene of a crash. Rhandhawa remains free on bail but will reappear in the District Court in August for arraignment and sentencing. He faces a maximum 12-month prison term and minimum six-month licence disqualification for the careless driving offence. DonateLife Week begins July 28. The massive Microsoft outage is causing travel hell across America for a fourth day. Weary airport passengers have shared shocking stories of woe - from a groom whose wedding day was disrupted by Delta delays, to a woman who resorted to driving 57 hours after being plagued by three flight cancellations in a row. Total cancellations within, into or out of the US early Monday totaled 1,200, according to FlightAware data. Delta saw 17 per cent of its flights canceled - far more than any other airline. One traveler even claimed Delta had 'f**ked up' his wedding plan after forcing him to wait eight hours, then denying him boarding over 'technical issues.' 'Delta cancelling multiple flights Ive been scheduled for and potentially f***ing up my WEDDING plans was not on my bingo card this year,' the devastated groom wrote on X. One beleaguered traveler (pictured with his fiancee) said Delta delays had 'f***ed up' his wedding plans after waiting eight extra hours for a plane only to find he couldn't board due to tech issues Total cancellations within, into or out of the US early Monday totaled 1,200 according to the latest data from FlightAware. The majority of disruptions hit Delta Air Lines flights, which completely canceled 17 percent of all flights A groom whose wedding day was disrupted by Delta delays took to X to vent his frustration 'Literally any other time I wouldve tolerated this bulls*** but its our WEDDING FFS.' The exhausted traveler said he and his fiancee were denied boarding because of a 'technical error' by Delta. 'Her boarding pass wouldn't print despite us having a physical boarding pass already. Flight attendants told us we couldn't get on after an 8 hour delay,' the groom fumed. 'We are not scrambling for our wedding,' he added, alongside a photograph of him giving the Delta logo the middle finger. It is unclear where the passenger was flying from and to on the US airline, but similar stories of devastating delays were echoed across social media on Monday. One passenger slammed the 'blue screen of death vibes' in the Delta terminal at Atlanta Airport, referring to the laundry list of delays showing on displays for the airline Friday evening. Delta reported 626 cancellations, or nearly 83% of all cancelled flights, on Monday One passenger slammed the 'blue screen of death vibes' in the Delta terminal at Atlanta Airport, referring to the laundry list of delays showing on displays for the airline Friday evening One passenger said she got home 57 hours after she was supposed to thanks to severe Delta delays and missed connections on Monday The picture did not appear to have improved by Monday, with one passenger saying she got home 57 hours after she was supposed to thanks to severe delays and missed connections. 'We gave up on you @Delta after 3 cancelled flights and countless delays,' the traveler wrote on X, explaining that she had resort to driving instead. 'Getting that car out of ATL was a miracle,' she wrote. 'Absolute nightmare for those with children, elderly, special needs, or who cant afford additional costs.' Another traveler said they had been waiting 'over five hours' for news of their flight, while filming shocking footage of 'multiple extremely long lines in just about EVERY terminal' at Atlanta Airport. The situation was so dire that some passengers chose to see the funny side, with people clapping when boarding finally began at their gate. 'At multiple gates ppl clap when boarding starts,' one person said on X. 'Ive never seen airports so packed with ppl. Our flights were delayed/canceled +10 times. 'Misery loves company as Everyone swapping stories of delays & hopes to get home.' Massive delays by Delta at the Atlanta airport. Multiple extremely long lines in just about EVERY terminal. Been over 5 hours. I know there was a IT outage but there has to be a better way to deal with this. Most delays are due to pilots and attendants timing out. @Delta pic.twitter.com/5CYPh55VNk Iiyannaa (@iiyannaa) July 22, 2024 The situation was so dire that some travelers chose to see the funny side, with people clapping when boarding finally began at their gate The massive Microsoft outage is causing travel hell across America for a fourth day Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in a message to customers Sunday that the airline continues to recover and restore operations after the outage Delta reported 626 cancellations, or nearly 83% of all cancelled flights, on Monday. Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in a message to customers Sunday that the airline continues to recover and restore operations after the outage. He said a pause in Delta's operations resulted in more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection scrubbed flights. Delta has been offering waivers to affected customers. 'The technology issue occurred on the busiest travel weekend of the summer, with our booked loads exceeding 90 percent, limiting our re-accommodation capabilities,' Bastian wrote. One of the tools used by Delta to track its crews was impacted and unable to process the unprecedented number of changes triggered by the system outage. Inclement weather also led to delays in the Southeast, according to FlightAware, including Atlanta, where Delta Air Lines is based. The global tech failure is also impacting banking and healthcare services around the world. Cyber-security firm CrowdStrike admitted the issue was trigged by an update to its antivirus software, which protects Microsoft Windows devices from attacks. A former BBC presenter who swapped her TV career to become a firefighter has died aged 46 after a year-and-a-half long battle with cancer. Beccy Barr, from Lancaster, was diagnosed with incurable cancer last year. The mother-of-one joined BBC North West Tonight as a presenter and reporter back in 2013 having previously spent five years in financial news at CNBC in London. But after 20 years in journalism, she decided to follow in her father's footsteps and joined Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service in 2019. Beccy's family made the announcement on 'X' this afternoon. Their statement read: 'I'm sharing the very sad news that Beccy passed away peacefully this morning. 'She spent her last few days at St John's Hospice who provided the most dignified & compassionate care to Beccy & her whole family. 'Donations to the hospice can be made in Beccy's memory.' Beccy Barr (pictured) has died after a year-and-a-half long battle with cancer Beccy joined BBC North West Tonight as a presenter and reporter back in 2013 She swapped her TV career to become a firefighter in 2019 to follow in her father's footsteps Beccy (pictured) back in the BBC Studio when she worked as a presenter Beccy joined the fire service in 2019 because she wanted to 'learn a new trade from scratch'. Her father Roy spent around 20 years in the fire service. She told the BBC at the time: 'I still really love being a journalist but it has been nearly 20 years and I'm ready for a change and a different challenge'. Beccy told her followers on 'X' that she had been diagnosed with incurable cancer at the beginning of 2023. She said at the time; 'Two lessons I've learned from this distinctly sub-optimal experience: 1) Life is wild. 2) People have an utterly astounding and boundless capacity for love, care and friendship.' Paying tribute today, Beccy's sister Jennifer Pomphrey said: 'This morning Beccy passed away peacefully at St John's Hospice in Lancaster. They offered the most dignified and compassionate care for the last few days of her life. 'Beccy led an incredible life that I will post about on her account in the near future along with details of her funeral. Beccy's career started in print journalism as a reporter for The Blackpool Citizen before she moved to London to join Money Marketing Paying tribute today, Beccy's sister Jennifer Pomphrey said: 'She was a very loved daughter, granddaughter and niece. More than anything she was a wonderful mother to Hannah' Beccy joined the fire service in 2019 after 20 years in journalism because she wanted to 'learn a new trade from scratch' 'For now, I just want to say that I was incredibly blessed to have such an amazing sister. She was a very loved daughter, granddaughter and niece. More than anything she was a wonderful mother to Hannah. 'If you wish to show your love please send donations to St John's Hospice in Beccy's memory. Please feel free to leave messages, we will read them and take comfort in them but may not reply whilst we take time to be together as a family.' Roger Johnson, Presenter of BBC North West Tonight, said: 'Beccy was courageous in so many ways. In the way she faced her illness, of course. But she also had the courage to walk away from a successful TV career to retrain as a firefighter. She wanted to make a difference and she excelled at that too. My thoughts are with her daughter and family.' Chris Brindley, Editor, BBC North West: 'It's extremely sad to hear the news about Beccy. She was a much loved part of the North West Tonight team for several years. Those who worked with Beccy will remember her as an inspiration and those who watched her will remember her as a really talented journalist and presenter. We send all our sympathies to her family.' Beccy's career started in print journalism as a reporter for The Blackpool Citizen before she moved to London to join Money Marketing. She also had stints at BBC Radio 5 Live, reporting for BBC Inside Out and Sunday Politics North West. Tributes have flooded in for the firefighter, as social media users paid tribute to an 'inspirational' woman. Beccy pictured in her role as a firefighter at Lancashire Fire and Rescue. She published this photograph when she received Distinctions in all her training assessments BBC Manchester said in a statement: 'We have some sad news to bring you - our former colleague Beccy Barr has died. 'Beccy presented BBC North West Tonight from 2013, before leaving in 2019 to become a firefighter. 'She was diagnosed with incurable cancer in 2023. Our thoughts are with Beccy's family and friends.' Journalist Annabel Tiffin, a presenter at BBC North West said: 'This is such unbelievably sad news. Beccy was a feisty, fearless woman gone far too soon. Condolences to her family.' MP Cat Smith for Lancaster and Wyre said: 'I'm so sorry to hear this, my heart aches for all those who mourn her. 'She made the world a better place because of everything she did with an enthusiasm that few could match. RIP Beccy. So much love to her family right now.' Lee Petts wrote: 'This breaks my heart. I didn't know her that well, I only met her a couple of times, but she was always lovely and looked after me when interviewing me for the BBC Politics Show. She's dealt with her terminal cancer diagnosis like an absolute champ, positive to the end. Cancer is horrid, isn't it? RIP Beccy.' Shocking surveillance footage shows the moment a 17-year-old boy is killed after being run over by a bus while attempting to steal an elderly man's cellphone. The teenager is seen walking up to the 71-year-old man while he was talking on the phone on a street corner in the southeastern Brazilian city of Sao Paulo last Friday. The victim appeared as he was about to cross to the opposite sidewalk when the teen suddenly grabbed his cell phone and took off running. A few seconds elapsed when the bus crossed the intersection and plowed into the unsuspecting perp before it immediately came to a full stop. The teenager, whose name was not released, was rushed to Brasilandia Hospital, where he later died from the injuries he sustained. A 17-year-old boy was captured on camera stealing a 71-year-old man's cell phone on a street corner just seconds before a bus ran over him as he attempted to flee in Sao Paulo, Brazil last Friday The teen was trapped under the bus moments after he was hit while he tried to flee after stealing a 71-year-old man's cell phone in the southeastern Brazil city of Sao Paulo last Friday Pedro Garbin, 38, told Brazilian news outlet Metropoles that the boy was able to get out from under the bus without assistance. '(He) rolled onto the curb. He was lying down, talking, moving,' the businessman said. Gabriel Silva, 20, was cutting a customer's hair at a barbershop and was startled by the impact of the bus hitting the teen. 'I heard a loud noise and ran out into the street immediately,' he said. '(He was) lying in agony on the ground.' A 17-year-old was hit by a bus and later died after he tried to flee down a Brazilian street after he was caught on camera stealing a 71-year-old man's cell phone last Friday The teen (seen above second to from the right) didn't see the bus approaching the intersection while he tried to run away after stealing an elderly man's cell phone At least 158,150 thefts and 137,891 cell phone robberies were reported in the state of Sao Paulo in 2023, according to the annual report released by the Brazilian Security Forum last Wednesday. In Sao Paulo, the state capital, an average of 1,781.6 cell phones were stolen or robbed per every 100,000 inhabitants, crime data shows. In all, 937,294 cell phones were robbed or stolen throughout Brazil last year, an average of 107 per hour. Brazilian Security Forum director, Samira Bueno, told Brazilian news outlet G1 that the uptick in cell phone robberies and thefts marked a 'profound change in the dynamics of property crime' in the South American nation. 'It was already a trend, but with the reduction in the circulation of people, with the digitalization of banking in general, both cell phone theft and fraud are becoming more accessible because your entire life is on your cell phone,' Bueno said. 'Sometimes it's not just yours, it's your entire family's life. It's photos, it's other people's contacts. This reveals a change in patterns.' New Mexico has ranked as having the worst public schools in the country, a new survey shows. The Sun Belt state's schools rate much worse than those elsewhere thanks to low student graduation rates, weak funding, poor safety, large class sizes, and a lack of good teachers. Oklahoma, Arizona, Alaska, and Louisiana rounded out the bottom five public school systems, research by WalletHub shows. Parents looking for decent tax-funded schools may need to head to the US Northeast. Massachusetts ranked as having the best schools in the country. Fifth grade students at a computer lab in a church-run school in New Mexico, which has among the worst public schools in the country Researchers revealed which states have the best and worst public school systems It was followed by Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and Wisconsin. Cassandra Happe, an analyst for the personal finance website, said much of the difference comes down to how much money states spend on their students. 'Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn't guarantee success,' said Happe. Cassandra Happe says funding schools is key Schools districts still need to spend money wisely and focus on the 'quality of educators, other professionals and the curriculum.' The study comes in the wake of pandemic-era school closures that left sent math and literacy levels tumbling, even when they did little to prevent the spread of Covid-19. It also comes as millions of Americans weigh whether to relocate to another part of the country a flow that sees many opt for lower tax states in the South that in many cases have weaker public school systems. WalletHub researchers examined data from the US Census Bureau, the Department of Education, the National Center for Education Statistics and other sources. This included graduation rates, dropout rates, test scores, as well as measures of safety, such as the prevalence of bullying and the number of students who take a gun to class. New Mexico scored by far the lowest in the country a problem that is well known to state education chiefs. State Education Secretary Arsenio Romero recently complained that his school districts were struggling to hire teachers as educators fled the profession in droves. Students walk on campus at the Santa Fe Indian School in New Mexico, where districts struggle with a crippling shortage of teachers New Mexico State Education Secretary Arsenio Romero says staffing schools is a problem A graduation ceremony for students in Holden, Louisiana, which has one of the nation's weakest public schools in the country A staggering 59 percent of New Mexico's young students, those aged three to four, do not see the inside of a classroom, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Nearly four fifths of the state's fourth graders cannot read, while a staggering 87 percent of eighth graders are not proficient in math, the foundation says. Analyst often point to student demographics, which is about 62 percent Hispanic, leading to communication issues in many classes. The system was thrown into further disarray in April, when dozens of school districts sued the education department over its plans to introduce a controversial 180-day school calendar rule. The department did not answer DailyMail.com's request for a comment. Researchers ranked Oklahoma as having the second-worst public schools in the country. The Sooner State is currently embroiled in a controversy over a new rule that schools begin incorporating the Bible into lessons. Republican state Superintendent Ryan Walters said the rule for all public school students aged about 11-18 was compulsory. It came on the heels of a similar controversy in Louisiana which has the fifth worst schools in the country and where a new law directs all public schools to display the Ten Commandments. At the other end of the scale, Massachusetts ranked as having the best public schools in the US, thanks in part to its high math and reading scores. Researchers also highlighted the safety of schools in the Bay State, where drugs and schoolyard fights are uncommon. Connecticut ranked second thanks to its excellent test scores and the large number of teachers, compared to student numbers. The report comes as parents and teachers are increasingly alarmed about slipping standards and low attendance at the nation's schools as they struggle to reverse effects of the pandemic. A service member speaks with students at a school in Alaska, one of the lowest performing states in the country Seventh grade teacher @qbthedon (pictured) asked parents: 'Why don't y'all know that your kids aren't performing on their grade level?' America's schools have started to make progress toward getting students back on track. Nationally, students made up one-third of their pandemic losses in math during the past school year and one-quarter of the losses in reading, says the Education Recovery Scorecard, an analysis of test scores by researchers at Harvard and Stanford. But improvement has been slow and uneven across geography and economic status, with millions of students often those from marginalized groups making up little or no ground. States have used some money from the historic $190 billion in federal pandemic relief to help students catch up, but that money runs out later this year. 'The recovery is not finished, and it won't be finished without state action,' Thomas Kane, a Harvard economist, told AP last month. 'States need to start planning for what they're going to do when the federal money runs out.' Against thie backdrop, teachers have taken to social media to warn that kids are falling behind with their basic reading and writing skills - and claim parents are totally ignorant to the alarming situation. In a TikTok video, which has been viewed more than five million times, seventh grade teacher @qbthedon asked parents: 'Why don't y'all know that your kids aren't performing on their grade level?' 'I teach seventh grade, they are still performing on a fourth-grade level,' he complained. 'We all know that the world is behind, you know, globally,' he acknowledged. 'Because of the pandemic and stuff. But I don't understand why they are not stressing to y'all how bad it is.' The teacher, from Atlanta, Georgia, claimed he can 'put as many zeros in this grade' as he wants to, but the kids will still be moved up to the next grade. 'Ain't nobody talking about that,' he said incredulously. 'These [are] our future leaders, our future doctors, our future nurses - our future,' he said desperately. 'Please!' Welsh Labour is facing demands to recall the Senedd as it tries to install a new First Minister over the summer recess to avoid a damaging leadership election. Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Health Eluned Morgan appears set to replace scandal-plagued Vaughan Gething after he lasted just four months. The peer is running as a 'unity candidate' and has won the backing of Jeremy Miles, who narrowly lost to Mr Gething in February. Installing Baroness Morgan would allow the new Welsh Labour leader to be unveiled quickly. If she succeeds she will be the first female leader of Wales. But to become First Minister they also have to win a vote by the Senedd. The authority in Cardiff broke up for the summer last Friday and is not due to return until September 16 after a break of 55 days. Tory leader Andrew RT Davies said that if Baroness Morgan is the only name put forward he would write to the presiding officer on Wednesday to call for the Welsh Parliament to be recalled. He said: 'Wales has faced political paralysis and Labour infighting for too long, we need certainty and we need it fast. Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Health Eluned Morgan appears set to replace scandal-plagued Vaughan Gething after he lasted just four months. The peer is running as a 'unity candidate' and has won the backing of Jeremy Miles, who narrowly lost to Mr Gething (above) in February. Tory leader Andrew RT Davies said that if Baroness Morgan is the only name put forward he would write to the presiding officer on Wednesday to call for the Welsh Parliament to be recalled. 'It is becoming clear that Labour in Wales will have a new leader very soon, but Eluned Morgan has presided over the longest waiting lists on record and they're still growing on her watch. Is this really the best that Labour can do? 'The Welsh Conservatives are calling for a recall of the Senedd to give Wales greater stability. 'Wales should not be without a functioning government for months over the summer.' Mr Gething announced last Tuesday that he was standing down just four months after taking on the role. He has faced a series of rows over a 200,000 donation to his leadership campaign from a company owned by a man twice convicted of environmental offences. Last month Mr Gething lost a vote of no confidence in the Senedd, after rows over the donation, and his decision to sack Delyn MS Hannah Blythyn as a minister. Welsh Labour's ruling body set out a timetable for replacing Mr Gething on Saturday, members having until Wednesday to announce their candidacies. Candidates must have six nominations to enter. A new Labour leader will be in place by September 14 and, subject to a vote in the Senedd, will take over as first minister on September 18. Baroness Morgan will be standing on a joint ticket with rural affairs minister Huw Irranca-Davies, who would become deputy first minister. Their announcement on Monday comes after Mr Gething was forced to announce his resignation as First Minister and Welsh Labour leader last week, after four members of his cabinet quit en masse in criticism of his leadership. Baroness Morgan is the Senedd member for Mid and West Wales and a peer in the House of Lords, where she is listed as being on a leave of absence, and was a member of the European Parliament. In a statement, Baroness Morgan said: 'I am proud to stand as a candidate to be the next leader of Welsh Labour, driven by a passion to serve the people and reset the relationship between the Government and the people of Wales. 'I am delighted to be teaming up with my fantastic colleague, Huw Irranca-Davies, who shares my passion and experience in government and strong sense of public duty. Together, we are committed to putting Wales back on track. 'In the coming days, we will set out our priorities to improve public services, create better, greener jobs and empower our communities. 'Our focus will be meaningful change and building a brighter future for communities across Wales.' Mr Irranca-Davies, the MS for Ogmore, said: 'I'm proud to be backing Eluned for the next leader of Welsh Labour and first minister of Wales, and I'm honoured to be campaigning alongside her on a joint ticket. 'Eluned has the energy and experience to lead and deliver for the people of Wales and harness the opportunity of working with a new UK Labour Government. 'Working together and with our leadership team, our Welsh Labour movement will keep working to improve people's daily lives and standing up for a fairer and greener Wales.' Deputy first minister positions are uncommon in Wales, with the roles having only been given to opposition groups working in coalition with the Labour leadership in the past. Keir Starmer has insisted that Joe Biden 'put the country first' and made his decision to quit in the 'best interests of the American people'. In his first statement to Parliament, the PM said he 'respected' the US president's choice and looked forward to working with him for the rest of his term in office. But Sir Keir sidestepped questions on Vice President Kamala Harris - who Mr Biden said was his pick as the Democrat candidate to take on Donald Trump. Mr Biden dramatically bowed out of the race yesterday in response to mounting pressure about his age and his inability to beat his Republican rival. Sir Keir said the US President was 'a man who, during five decades of service, never lost touch with the concerns of working people and always put his country first'. He 'leaves a legacy that extends far beyond America to freedom and security on this continent'. 'Most of all, of course, in our steadfast resolve to stand by the people of Ukraine,' he said. 'He leaves the Nato alliance stronger than it's been for decades.' Sir Keir, who had talks at the White House with Mr Biden earlier this month while in Washington for the Nato summit, said: 'I respect that decision that he has now made. In his first statement to Parliament, the PM said he 'respected' the US president's choice and looked forward to working with him for the rest of his term in office Keir Starmer has insisted that Joe Biden (pictured) will have made his decision to quit in the 'best interests of the American people' 'Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency.' He declined to comment on his relationship with Ms Harris, but insisted the UK would work with whoever became president. 'Obviously in the first instance, it's for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward. It is then for the American people to decide who they want as their president. 'My approach will be to respect that decision-making and to be clear that we will work with whoever the American people elect into office, as you would expect, particularly given the nature of the special relationship between our two countries, forged in difficult circumstances, endured for years, and very important to me and very important to all American presidents.' The 81-year-old president announced on Sunday he would not seek another term in office, saying it was 'in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down'. In a post on his social media account, he said: 'My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. 'My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it's been the best decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this.' He said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. 'And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as President for the remainder of my term.' He said in his statement he would address the nation on the matter next week, adding: 'For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me. 'I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can't do when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.' sidestepped questions on Vice President Kamala Harris (pictured) - who Mr Biden said was his pick as the Democrat candidate to take on Donald Trump The decision comes after escalating pressure from Mr Biden's Democratic allies to step aside following his faltering June 27 debate. Mr Biden's term in office ends at noon on January 20 2025. Vice President Ms Harris said she was 'honoured' to have the endorsement of Mr Biden. In a statement, she thanked the US president for his 'extraordinary leadership' and for making a 'selfless and patriotic act' by stepping aside. She said: 'I am honoured to have the president's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.' A New Jersey stripper who has owned up to selling several hundred fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at $200 a pop had her sentencing remanded because she brought her young children to court. Jasmine Clifford, 34, had been facing approximately one to three years in a state pen after pleading guilty in April and spending several months on New York's Rikers Island. Released in early 2022 in the wake of her arrest the summer before, she made no arrangements for her two preteen sons on Friday. Judge Marisol Martinez Alonso suspected it was a ploy to further stall proceedings, but gave her until July 25 to make the necessary arrangements. At that point, she will return to court to hear her sentence, Alonso said - with the time she already spent in jail being credited toward her sentence. Jasmine Clifford, 34, had been facing one to three years in a state pen after pleading guilty in April and spending several months on New York's Rikers Island following her arrest in August 2021. Released in May 2022 ahead of her criminal case, she made no arrangements Friday for her two preteen sons. She's seen with them last year, after spending several months on Rikers Island 'The Court finds the recommendation of 2 to 4 years of incarceration to be wholly inconsistent with the plea offers submitted to this Court by District Attorney Bragg's office,' the judge said earlier this year of his decision not to dismiss the charges, while also seemingly accusing DA Bragg of overcharging the offense. 'The manipulation of the database by Clifford 'require[ed] extensive DOH [New York State Department of Health] resources to be invested to attempt to restore the integrity of the database,' he went on to add before moving forward with the case. 'Accordingly, this factor weighs against dismissal of the charges against [her].' 'The position that 'confidence in the criminal justice system 'can only be undermined when justice is administered in less than an even-handed fashion'' is quite simply, ludicrous,' Alonso continued. 'Notwithstanding the People's contradictory position in this case, the People have the right to make any lawful plea or recommendation, and the legislature's mandate enjoins this Court from making an offer less than the statutory minimum. Clifford's defense went on to agree to the statutory minimum for their client's sentence, as she pleaded guilty to a plot that saw her sell fake US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards before falsely registering buyers in New York. At least 13 people were fraudulently put into the New York State Immunization Information System database as a result, feds said - as the mom-of-two lived high on the hog at her home in Lyndhurst All the while, she maintained a stark social media presence as stripper 5StarJaziii, and on a still-operating Instagram account, she advertised the phony CDC vaccination cards under the name AntiVaxMomma. Judge Marisol Martinez Alonso suspected it was a ploy to further stall proceedings, but gave her until July 25 to make the necessary arrangements At that point, she will return to court to hear her sentence, Alsonso said - with the time she already spent in jail being credited toward her sentence Clifford's defense agreed to the statutory minimum for their client's sentence, as she pleaded guilty to a plot that saw her sell fake US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards before falsely registering buyers in New York She accepted payments from those interested through CashApp or Zelle. The pseudonym has since been wiped from her social media accounts. For an extra $250, a second scammer would enter a bogus card buyer's name into a New York state vaccination database, which were used to verify vaccine status at gatherings like concerts and sporting events, prosecutors said. Clifford was subsequently charged with Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Offering a False Instrument for Filing, and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree at the time of her arrest in August 2021. In court documents leading up to the ruling, Alonso appeared to chastise Bragg for routinely going easy on violent offenders while throwing the book at a person like Clifford - a stance shared by state Supreme Court Justice Brendan T. Lantry in February, where he dismissed felony charges against a pair accused of buying cards from Clifford. The two were among just 16 people Bragg's office 'cherry-picked' to prosecute and charge with felony criminal possession of a forged instrument, the judge said. The self-professed AntiVaxMomma accepted payments from those interested through CashApp or Zelle. The pseudonym since been wiped from her social media accounts The presiding judge ultimately decided not to dismiss the charges, but also seemingly accused officials of overcharging the offense In court documents leading up to the ruling, jurists appeared to chastise Bragg for routinely going easy on violent offenders while throwing the book at a non-violent offender like Clifford State Supreme Court Justice Brendan T. Lantry agreed in February, when he dismissed felony charges against a pair accused of buying cards from Clifford In an opinion issued shortly thereafter, he wrote Bragg's office 'routinely - nearly daily - move[s] to dismiss significantly more serious counts or entire indictments' to avoid harsher penalties for repeat offenders. Clifford - who has continued to post on social media since her release in early 2022 - will be sentenced while receiving credit for time served on July 25 In an opinion issued shortly thereafter, he wrote Bragg's office 'routinely - nearly daily - move[s] to dismiss significantly more serious counts or entire indictments' to avoid harsher penalties for previously convicted felons or to avoid jeopardizing people's immigration status. 'These motions submitted [by Bragg and his prosecutors] are made months or even years after the 45-day period has expired to dismiss... sexual assaults, drug sales, robbery, burglary, and other violent and non-violent serious felony offenses,' Lantry said. City Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli went on to praise the ruling, telling The New York Post: 'Imagine prosecuting a scared woman for this, even though she didn't even use the fake card, while at the same time letting violent perps go. I'm glad the judge called him out for the world to see.' As for Clifford - who has continued to post on social media since her release in early 2022 - she will be sentenced while receiving time served on July 25, officials on Friday said. Kamala Harris could be just months away from being elected as the first female President of the United States, after Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 race for election on Sunday. The current vice president, 59, has been endorsed by Biden, 81, as the Democratic nominee to take on Donald Trump in November. Despite receiving the support of the current president, Harris has been ridiculed since becoming VP for a series of blunders when addressing public issues in interviews, press conferences and even in statements. From stumbling over her words when addressing the White House's Covid-19 strategy to confusedly repeating herself over the use of community banks, here are some of her most embarrassing slip-ups. On AI In July 2023, Harris was ridiculed after delivering a jumbled explanation of artificial intelligence In July 2023, Harris was ridiculed after delivering a jumbled explanation of artificial intelligence. She was speaking at a gathering of labor and civil rights leaders in Washington DC at the time, but did little to assure attendees that she had a strong grasp of the subject. She continued: 'It's about machine learning, and so, the machine is taught and part of the issue here is what information is going into the machine that will then determine and we can predict then, if we think about what information is going in, what then will be produced in terms of decisions and opinions that may be made through that process.' The remarks drew criticism from conservatives on Twitter, especially after a clip of the event was posted by the Republican National Committee's @RNCResearch account, which has been quick to pounce on Harris' gaffes. 'Why does she address us as if we are 5 years old?' one user asked. On reproductive rights Ms Harris's preoccupation with time raised its head again last April at a political event on reproductive rights Harris's preoccupation with time raised its head again last April at a political event on reproductive rights. She told attendees: 'I think it's very important...for us at every moment in time and certainly this one, to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present, and to be able to contextualize it, to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past but the future.' On transportation Harris made an awkward mistake when appearing alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in July last year for an event with disability rights advocates to increase transportation accessibility When appearing next to an expert - regardless of the area they specialize in - it is always important to make a good impression. Harris did anything but that when appearing alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in July last year for an event with disability rights advocates to increase transportation accessibility. She gave a remarkably basic summary, stating: 'This issue of transportation is fundamentally about just making sure that people have the ability to get where they need to go,' she said, chuckling. 'It's that basic.' On South Korea Following the conclusion of a tour across Asia, which ended with a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Harris mistakenly confused the communist North Korea with the US' ally nation of South Korea Following the conclusion of a tour across Asia, which ended with a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Harris mistakenly confused the communist North Korea with the US' ally nation of South Korea. 'The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea,' Harris said during a speech, intending to refer to the Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea. 'It is an alliance that is strong and enduring,' she continued, not appearing to recognize her mistake. A communications advisor for Texas Senator Ted Cruz called Harris a 'flat out moron' for her remarks. On equality for Hispanic people: One of Harris' most confusing outbursts was to burst into laughter after uttering the phrase 'you think you just fell out of a coconut tree? when addressing equality for Hispanic people One of Harris' most confusing outbursts was to burst into laughter after uttering the phrase 'you think you just fell out of a coconut tree?', while giving a speech on equality and advancement for Hispanic people. She appeared to be trying to explain the need to focus on the wider community, adding that 'nothing exists in a silo'. After a clip of the speech went viral earlier this year, it became a popular internet meme that was widely circulated by her supporters, who are informally known as the 'K-hive'. One 'K-hive' member wrote: 'To anybody who thinks it shouldn't be Kamala Harris: you do know a new candidate can't just fall out of a coconut tree, right?' On illegal immigration Harris said that 'the border is secure' before appearing to contradict herself by blaming a 'broken immigration system' in what was a convoluted take on the issue Having been appointed as VP by the Biden administration, one of Harris' key objectives was to tackle the 'root cause' of immigration. 'I think that there is no question that we have to do what the president and I asked Congress to do, the first request we made: pass a bill to create a pathway to citizenship,' Harris said in a Meet the Press interview in September 2022. She went to add that 'the border is secure' before appearing to contradict herself by blaming a 'broken immigration system' in what was a convoluted take on the issue. 'We're going to have two million people cross this border for the first time ever. You're confident this border is secure?' interviewer Chuck Todd asked. 'We have a secure border in that that is a priority for any nation including ours in our administration,' Harris replied. On job development On the issue of bettering transportation access for workers, Harris said: 'Together, we are expanding access to transportation. Seems like maybe it's a small issue, it's a big issue. Harris appeared to be tongue-tied during a speech at the White House in September 2022, as she tripped over her words while discussing federal investments in workforce development. On the issue of bettering transportation access for workers, Harris said: 'Together, we are expanding access to transportation. Seems like maybe it's a small issue, it's a big issue.' 'You need to get to go and need to be able to get where you need to go to do the work'. On Roe V Wade Asked whether years of Democratic majorities had failed by not codifying abortion rights, VP Kamala Harris said: 'I think that, to be very honest with you, I do believe that we should have rightly believed, but we certainly believe that certain issues are just settled.' When addressing one of the biggest decision in US legal history, Kamala was once again left with egg on her face as she struggled to answer whether Democratic presidents and congresses failed by never codifying abortion rights. 'I think that, to be very honest with you, I do believe that we should have rightly believed, but we certainly believe that certain issues are just settled. Certain issues are just settled,' Harris said. On community banks Kamala endured another unfortunate slip-up when addressing the press at Sycamore & Oak retail village in DC back in August 2023 Kamala endured another unfortunate slip-up when addressing the press at Sycamore & Oak retail village in DC back in August 2023. She emphasized to reporters that 'community banks are in the community' and that investing in them is therefore good for the community. 'And so for years we have worked to expand investment in community banks because, you see, community banks specialize in providing loans and financial assistance to small business owners, in particular those in overlooked and underserved communities,' the vice president said. 'And as the name suggests, community banks are in the community,' she added. In response, the deputy spokesman for Speaker Kevin McCarthy asked: 'But do they also offer services as it relates to banking?' 'Let's see if she can figure this one out! Grocery stores sell GROCERIES,' conservative radio personality Ken Miles wrote, and included a thinking emoji. 'She actually said this,' conservative communications specialist Steve Guest tweeted. On Covid Harris gave a flummoxing answer in January 2022 when asked by NBC's Craig Melvin about the White House's Covid strategy Harris gave a flummoxing answer in January 2022 when asked by NBC's Craig Melvin about the White House's Covid strategy. 'Does the administration say, 'You know what, this strategy isn't working. We're going to change strategies. Is it time?', Melvin asked. Harris responded by saying 'it's time for us to do what we have been doing, and that time is every day'. This came after an even more confusing response following the onset of the pandemic in the US in 2020. Although coronavirus spread with devastating speed throughout the nation, Harris claimed in October 2020 that nearly two-thirds of the country's population had died from the disease in a matter of months. She bizarrely remarked: 'Were in the middle of a crises caused by this pandemic were looking at over 220million Americans who just in the last several months died'. A Starbucks customer was left disturbed after she found several pieces of hard plastic in her grande caramel frappuccino. Bianca, who calls herself Binx online, posted a TikTok video showing off the hard white plastic she found in her drink earlier this month. Bianca 'could not believe' what she found - and upon further inspection, she said that it seemed like the bizarre objects were 'never-ending' and mixed into her drink. The TikToker claimed she needed her drink after she had a 'long night' despite usually not going to Starbucks. Binx responded to multiple comments left by TikTokers and claimed she bought her drink from a Starbucks location in El Paso, Texas. Bianca, who calls herself Binx, posted a TikTok video showing off pieces of hard white plastic she found in her caramel frappuccino earlier this month Bianca claimed in her July 6 video that she had bought her frappuccino on July 5. It's unclear when she found the 'sharp, hard, plastic' but once she found one piece, she decided to search for more. 'Here I am trying to strain it out to see how many pieces I could find... Caramel frappuccino blended with hard, white plastic,' Bianca said. After she decided to rinse the strainer, she discovered several pieces of plastic and placed them all on a napkin. By the time she was done, she had nearly 30 pieces of white plastic on the napkin. Bianca claimed in a comment that the El Paso Starbucks she went to was not busy, and that she requested her money back after the incident. DailyMail.com has contacted Starbucks for comment. The caramel frappuccino is a popular blended drink that comes with whole milk, frappuccino roast, and caramel syrup topped with caramel drizzle and whipped cream. Her grande caramel frappuccino, which comes with three roast pumps and three syrup pumps. Binx responded to multiple comments left by TikTokers and claimed she bought her drink from a Starbucks location in El Paso, Texas Several Starbucks customers have had gross findings in their drinks over the last 10 years, which include bugs, metal wire, and a dead lizard. The sharp plastic pieces Bianca found in her drink were small, but they would've been enough to cause the drinker potential intestinal damage. An example of dangerous plastic particles that could do this damage are microplastics, which are smaller than sesame seeds, according to NIH News in Health. The plastics have been found in human blood, lungs, guts, and feces, as well as placenta and breast milk. 'Even though we produce millions of tons of plastic each year, we know very little about the health effects of microplastics,' said Dr. Douglas Walker, an expert in environmental health at Emory University in 2024. 'This is a relatively new and active area of research. We still have much to learn.' TikTok users have shared various beverage horror stories after they purchased drinks from Starbucks and McDonald's TikTok users who watched Bianca's video shared their own beverage horror stories from being a customer or former barista. One person claimed to have found 'black rubber pieces' in their Starbucks drink, and a commenter insisted they found plastic pieces in their frappe beverage from McDonald's. 'One time, Cold Stone Creamery blended a Butterfinger with the wrapper still on in my milkshake,' a TikTok user claimed in their post. Another beverage buyer wrote: 'This happened to me once at a diner, though I got a smoothie, and they said the white lining broke off while they were scooping the thing.' 'The diner gave me another one free of charge, so I got both free.' A commenter had an idea of what the plastic in Bianca's drink could've been from, but the source of the material is unclear. 'It looks like the oat milk cap. I don't know how that's possible. As a Starbucks barista, I have never had anything like this happen.' Daily Mail has reached out to Starbucks for comment. Britains biggest warship has returned to sea after spending months docked for essential repairs. The HMS Queen Elizabeth was pictured under the Forth Rail Bridge after spending months docked at Rosyth for essential repairs and upgrades. The Royal Navy warship was due to take to the North Sea for NATOs largest mission since the Cold War, but a fault to the propeller shaft was discovered back in February. The mission, named Steadfast Defender, took place in Norway, and was instead led by sister ship HMS Prince of Wales. In March, the ship set sail from Portsmouth to Rosyth, but now, after months of repairs, the Navys largest ship has completed her defect repair. The HMS Queen Elizabeth passes under the Forth Bridge as she heads back out to sea The crew had to lower the vessel's radio mast to allow it to pass underneath the Forth Bridge A Royal Navy spokesman said: HMS Queen Elizabeth has completed her defect repair work and capability upgrades at Rosyth and will now undergo a period of sea trials to prepare for future tasking. The ship's crew had to lower its radio mast to allow it to pass underneath the Forth Bridge, which has clearance of 150ft. The HMS Queen Elizabeth is 184ft tall with its mast up. The ship, which can carry up to 40 aircraft, and is equipped with a flight deck, chapel and medical centre, weighs 65,000 tonnes and is capable of travelling at over 25 knots. WARNING: This story contains graphic content that me be disturbing to some A Canadian man has been shot dead by Israeli forces after he allegedly tried to stab an armed civilian security unit. The suspect, identified by the Kan public broadcaster as Qawarshi Zakaria Adam, drove to the entrance of Netiv HaAsara, a town near the Gaza border, approached security forces and threatened them with a knife, the Israel Defense Forces said. He shouted 'you're murdering people in Gaza' and 'Free Palestine', before the squad opened fire and killed him, The Times of Israel reported. There were no other injuries. Photographs from the scene Adam's body lying at the feet of Israeli police and soldiers before being taken to an ambulance. IDF has increased security in Netiv HaAsara after Hamas gunmen passed over the concrete border wall using paragliders and killed 20 residents during its October 7 attack. A Canadian man, identified by the Kan public broadcaster as Qawarshi Zakaria Adam, has been shot dead by Israeli forces after he allegedly tried to stab an armed civilian security unit Israeli Police and ZAKA emergency service hold up a tarp around the suspect's body as they work the scene in Netiv HaAsara, near the Gaza border in southern Israel, on Monday morning Adam attempted the stabbing Monday morning at the entrance of Netiv HaAsara, the Israeli military has said. He drove to the town, 'exited his vehicle and threatened with a knife members of the community's rapid response team operating in the area', the military said. Apparent surveillance video from the area shows him approaching the armed civilian security unit before he is shot. 'The rapid response team responded with fire and neutralized the suspect. No injuries to the security forces were reported,' the IDF added. The Magen David Adom ambulance service allegedly treated a 61-year-old woman for 'acute anxiety' after the attack, but no physical injuries were reported. The military added: 'We emphasize that the suspect is a foreign citizen who arrived at the scene from Israel and not from the Gaza Strip.' Authorities have not publicly named the suspect, but a police spokesperson did confirm the attacker was a Canadian citizen. Israel has experienced a wave of stabbing attacks across the country during the nine-month war in Gaza, though few have taken place along the Gaza border, which has heavy military presence. Adam allegedly drove to the entrance of Netiv HaAsara, a town near the Gaza border, approached security forces and threatened them with a knife. Pictured is the moment he was shot dead by an armed civilian security unit Personal items pulled from the suspect's car sit on a sidewalk at the scene of an attempted stabbing attack at the entrance to Netiv HaAsara Israeli police are pictured at the scene in Netiv HaAsara on Monday morning. The Israeli military on Monday ordered the evacuation of part of a crowded area in the Gaza Strip that it had designated a humanitarian zone. The IDF said it is planning an operation against Hamas terrorists who have embedded themselves in the area and used it to launch rockets toward Israel. Earlier this month, Israel said it estimates at least a million Palestinians are now in the humanitarian zone that covers about 14 kilometers (8.6 miles) along the Mediterranean. Much of the area is full of tent camps that lack sanitation and medical facilities and have limited access to aid. The announcements came during delicate negotiations seeking a cease-fire. Egypt, Qatar and the United States are pushing Israel and Hamas toward a phased deal that would stop the fighting and free remaining hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has said a negotiating team will be sent to continue talks on Thursday. Photographs from the scene Adam's body lying at the feet of Israeli police and soldiers before being taken to an ambulance Israeli officials work at the scene of an attempted stabbing attack that Israeli police say was carried out by a Canadian citizen at Netiv Haasara on Monday morning Footage showed a body, apparently of the suspected attacker, being taken to an ambulance Netanyahu left Monday for Washington, where he will make a speech before the US Congress and meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to make his case in the war against Hamas. Meanwhile, new Israeli strikes near the southern city of Khan Younis killed at least 37 people on Monday, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, the morgue at Nasser Hospital and journalists who saw the bodies. The strikes took place as hundreds of people were evacuating following a new order from the Israeli military. The Health Ministry in Gaza says over 39,000 Palestinians have now been killed in the nine-month war. The ministry doesn't distinguish between Palestinian civilians and combatants in its count. One of my multibillionaire clients spent the past six months working out whether hed prefer to live in Italy, with its cultural heritage and thriving gastronomic scene, or Monaco, the ultimate lifestyle choice, with its shops, beaches and boat parties. With Labour riding high in the polls, hed seen the writing on the wall. The moment the election was announced, he told me that he had made up his mind: la dolce vita beckoned. Many high-net-worth individuals are leaving London for Monaco, with its beach and boat party lifestyle, spooked by Labour's plans to end 'non-dom' tax status Ayesha Vardag, whose company specialises in ultra high-net-worth divorce, is finding that her clients are leaving London for better tax breaks abroad And what a sweet life it promises to be for his personal finances. In Italy, my client will pay a flat tax rate of 100,000 (84,000) per year for 15 years thats it with no further tax on foreign income or capital gains. His estate will be free of inheritance tax, too. And he is not alone. Labours return to power after 14 years in opposition has sparked a growing exodus of high-net-worth individuals from these shores. Many have been spooked by the new governments plans to end non-dom tax status. This allows UK residents whose domicile for tax purposes is abroad essentially, foreigners who choose to live in the UK to avoid paying tax on their foreign income. Last weekend, the Financial Times (the plutocrats bible) reported that the rich are flocking to cities, like Milan, that are offering tax breaks to lure wealthy foreigners. The Financial Times (the plutocrats bible) reported last week that the rich are flocking to cities like Milan for the shopping, but also for the tax breaks The founder of one London-based investment club told the paper: I know of ten non-dom families who are reluctantly leaving London - eight are moving to Milan, one to Switzerland and one to the UAE. On that note, another of my clients, a hugely successful founder of a private equity fund, upped sticks to his second home in Dubai as soon as the election result was clear. He had already acquired a golden visa that gave him permanent residency rights in the Emirates, so it was just a case of hopping on his private jet with his partner, leaving his belongings to be packed up by his soon-to-be redundant domestic staff, while he sipped champagne on the way to a land of zero income tax, zero capital gains tax and zero inheritance tax. Other popular bolt-holes include Monaco and Singapore, both countries that understand the importance of attracting investment. The new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, needs to understand that tax increases will send British entrepreneurs fleeing as well as non-doms What a tragedy this is: London had it all. It was the capital of the world, with culture, restaurants, great education and the places where people wanted to be seen. Then we decided to squander it all for a bit of cheap electioneering. Now, the people who have been pouring money into the UK for years, are voting with their feet. One of Ms Vardag's clients, a hugely successful founder of a private equity fund, upped sticks to his second home in Dubai as soon as the election result was clear These magnates on the move are often members of multi-generational families who came to the UK in the hope of spending their lives here, lured by our excellent educational system and low crime rate. But continual changes to the non-dom regime have increasingly forced them to uproot themselves, taking their spending power and all the jobs they create to more welcoming climates. This is by no means all Labours fault. The Tories made life more difficult for non-doms in 2017, by imposing a 15-year limit on the tax breaks. That was slashed to just four years for new arrivals in last Marchs Budget, in a cynical bid by the Conservatives to undermine Labours appeal on the issue. Before you take out the worlds tiniest violin, remember the state cant function without the tax receipts that Britains non-doms bring. Only this month, it emerged that 74,000 non-doms paid 8.9billion in tax in the 2022-23 financial year, up 6 per cent on the previous year, and the highest level since the 15-year limit was introduced. This works out at an average of 120,000 for every last one of them, enough to fund the salaries of four qualified nurses. Designer shops on Old Bond Street are a magnet for super-rich non-doms, more than capable of spending 20,000 on an outfit, and many thousands more on handbags But its far more than just the direct taxes. Take a dinner at the kind of top restaurant favoured by these wealthy foreigners. A single bottle of vintage Krug can get marked up to as much as 7,500. The restaurant pays VAT and corporation tax, and employs cooks, waiters and other staff, who in turn pay income tax and National Insurance contributions to the Treasury. The designer outlets of Old Bond Street are another magnet for super-rich non-doms, more than capable of spending 20,000 on an outfit, and many thousands more on handbags. Yes, its extravagant but that spending provides a livelihood for everyone involved in the supply chain, and the taxes that follow help to fund the employment of public-sector workers, from teachers to civil servants. As a divorce lawyer, I have dealt with people from all walks of life and economic levels. The ultra-rich may have more expensive clothes, bigger houses and flashier cars but, ultimately, such trappings are cosmetic. Addiction, heartbreak and bereavement do not discriminate on grounds of income. In the end, the rich even those with billions in the bank and vast retinues of domestic staff are not so different from everyone else. They want to put down roots, see their children settled in good schools and live in neighbourhoods where they feel safe. They also want to know they can stay in a country long enough to see their children grow up and go to university. Thats not possible if they are only entitled to live here for four years without incurring huge tax liabilities. To make matters worse, London increasingly has a PR problem. Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan is deeply unpopular among my friends, partly because of his infuriating obsession with taxing car users but mainly because of his perceived weakness on street crime. Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan is deeply unpopular among Ms Vardag's friends, due to his perceived weakness on street crime - many are afraid to wear expensive jewellery because of the risk of being mugged Though statistics show our capital is still safer than New York or Los Angeles, it increasingly doesnt feel like that. Wristwatch robberies have become so common that many people are wary of wearing any jewellery at all for fear that a mugger with a machete will attack them for their Rolex. One friend told me: Londons so dangerous you cant walk around any more. Its like Gotham City without Batman. Then theres inheritance tax. Its already far too oppressive and nothing we have heard from the new Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggests she understands the necessity of raising the current threshold of 325,000. Inheritance tax is far too oppressive and nothing we have heard from the new Chancellor suggests she understands the necessity of raising the current threshold of 325,000, says Ms Vardag Imposing inheritance tax at this level means it hits many thousands of middle-class families, not just the wealthy. Britains small family businesses are one of the cornerstones of our economy. They have made us not merely a nation of shopkeepers as Napoleon dismissively described us, but a land of traders and entrepreneurs. Indeed, 80 per cent of working people in the UK are employed in small to medium-sized businesses - and the risk-takers who drive those concerns need to be encouraged, not penalised. If they know that their legacy will be plundered by the taxman, what incentive do they have to build for the next generation? And thats before the prospect of higher capital gains tax for those who sell their companies. So its not just non-doms: the truth is that every tax increase amounts to one more nail in our national coffin. Unless the new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, understands this, it wont only be the super-rich fleeing the country but also British entrepreneurs wanting to escape swingeing tax rises. Many of Labours spending plans are rightly contingent on economic growth, the idea being that tax revenues rise as more people pay income taxes, higher profits generate more corporation tax and VAT receipts grow as consumption increases. If thats what Reeves and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer want to see, then lets keep the money-makers here, not drive them into the hands of more hospitable hosts. You dont have to love the rich to appreciate what they bring to the mix. And if this government is as pragmatic and growth-focussed as it claims, then it needs to be driven not by Left-wing ideology but by the practical pros and cons of their decisions. Ayesha Vardag is the founder and president of Vardags, specialising in ultra high-net-worth divorce Keir Starmer had MPs in fits of giggles today as he accidentally called Rishi Sunak 'Prime Minister' in the Commons. The premier was making his first statement to the House since getting the keys to No10 when the verbal slip-up happened. After the Tory leader asked a series of questions about last week's Nato summit, Sir Keir said: 'In relation to the particular point the Prime Minister... ' As Mr Sunak and the Opposition frontbench roared with laughter, Sir Keir quipped ruefully: 'Old habits die hard.' Sir Keir and Mr Sunak switched places just over a fortnight ago after Labour routed the Conservatives at the election. Keir Starmer was making his first statement to the House since getting the keys to No10 when the verbal slip-up happened After the Tory leader asked a series of questions about last week's Nato summit, Sir Keir said: 'In relation to the particular point the Prime Minister... ' Sir Keir is now sitting on a massive majority, but bizarrely relations with Mr Sunak - who has announced he is stepping down - seem warmer than ever. The Tory leader aimed a series of highly personal jibes at his rival during the campaign, accusing him of hiding tax rises and not being up to the top job. However, the pair were seen joking and patting each other as they walked to the House of Lords for the King's Speech last week. The exchanges were similarly good-natured today as Mr Sunak urged Sir Keir to keep migration partnerships with third countries - such as the one he struck up with Rwanda - 'on the table'. 'When it comes to illegal migration, we all face the same fundamental question: how to deal with people who come to our countries illegally, whilst respecting our international obligations. Because of course, it's not feasible or right to return Afghans to the Taliban, or Syrians to Assad or Iranians to the ayatollahs... 'So I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister say that he was a pragmatist, and he will look at what works when it comes to squaring this circle. 'And I would urge him in his conversations with other European leaders to keep the option of further third country migration partnerships on the table as other countries have been discussing.' Mr Sunak also warned Sir Keir of the 'trade-offs' involved in pursuing a security and defence cooperation pact with the European Union, adding: 'I hope he can reassure the House that any closer cooperation with the EU will not adversely affect the technological and procurement aspects of our other alliances.' Green co-leader Carla Denyer was forced to apologise to her party's leftwing supporters today - for praising Joe Biden. The Bristol Central MP joined in with tributes to the US president last night after he revealed he will not seek to serve a second term. In a statement on X/Twitter she said that knowing when to quit was 'a true sign of leadership' and thanks him for decades of public service. However her seemingly innocuous remarks triggered a backlash from the Greens' pro-Palestinian supporters furious because of the US support for Israel. And others were unhappy she did not give her support to Jill Stein, the presidential candidate of the US Greens. Owen Jones, the newspaper columnist and ally of Jeremy Corbyn who quit Labour earlier this year joined the Greens, tweeted that Mr Biden had 'armed and facilitated the mass slaughter of innocent people' and demanded she retract her statement. In a second statement this afternoon Ms Denyer said she was sorry if her supporters felt she was 'offering my unmitigated support for his Presidency' including selling arms to Israel. The Bristol Central MP joined in with praise of the US president last night after he revealed he will not seek to serve a second term. Owen Jones, the newspaper columnist and ally of Jeremy Corbyn who quit Labour earlier this year joined the Greens, tweeted that Mr Biden had 'armed and facilitated the mass slaughter of innocent people' and demanded she retract her statement. In a second statement this afternoon Ms Denyer said she was sorry if her supporters felt she was 'offering my unmitigated support for his Presidency' including selling arms to Israel. Mr Biden bowed out of the presidential race in response to mounting pressure about his age and his inability to take on Republican rival Donald Trump. The US president backed vice president Kamala Harris to be the Democrat nominee. 'For decades successive US Governments have supported the Israeli government's illegal occupation of Palestinian land, and Biden is complicit in the slaughter of innocent people in Gaza,' she added. 'The next president needs to work for peace, stop arms sales to Israel, and ensure an immediate ceasefire and release of all hostages. The world needs the next US President to be a peacemaker.' Mr Biden's presidency 'will leave a legacy that extends far beyond America', Sir Keir Starmer said after the US president announced he would not seek a second term in the White House. The Prime Minister said the 81-year-old's decision to abandon his re-election campaign would not have been an easy one. Sir Keir said the US president was 'a man who, during five decades of service, never lost touch with the concerns of working people and always put his country first'. He told MPs: 'His presidency will leave a legacy that extends far beyond America to freedom and security on this continent. 'Most of all, of course, in our steadfast resolve to stand by the people of Ukraine. 'He leaves the Nato alliance stronger than it's been for decades.' Mr Biden bowed out of the presidential race in response to mounting pressure about his age and his inability to take on Republican rival Donald Trump. The US president backed vice president Kamala Harris to be the Democrat nominee. Sir Keir, who had talks at the White House with Mr Biden earlier this month while in Washington for the Nato summit, earlier told reporters at the Farnborough International Airshow: 'I respect that decision that he has now made. 'Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency.' He declined to comment on his relationship with Ms Harris - who he has never met - but insisted the UK would work with whoever became president. 'Obviously in the first instance, it's for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward. It is then for the American people to decide who they want as their president,' he said. 'My approach will be to respect that decision-making and to be clear that we will work with whoever the American people elect into office, as you would expect, particularly given the nature of the special relationship between our two countries, forged in difficult circumstances, endured for years, and very important to me and very important to all American presidents.' The US president announced on Sunday he would not seek another term in office, saying it was 'in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down'. He said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. 'And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as president for the remainder of my term,' he said. The decision comes after escalating pressure from Mr Biden's Democratic allies to step aside following his faltering June 27 debate. Mr Biden's term in office ends at noon on January 20 2025. Vice president Ms Harris said she was 'honoured' to have the endorsement of Mr Biden. In a statement, she thanked the US president for his 'extraordinary leadership' and for making a 'selfless and patriotic act' by stepping aside. She said: 'I am honoured to have the president's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.' Former prime minister Rishi Sunak praised Mr Biden's 'love for America and dedication to service'. An Anglican priest and a retired biology teacher in their 80s have denied damaging property at the British Library as part of Just Stop Oil protests. Reverend Sue Parfitt, 82, and Judith Bruce, 85, each pleaded not guilty to a charge of damaging property, when they appeared at Wood Green Crown Court in north London on Monday. The Just Stop Oil supporters are accused of damaging the protective casing surrounding the historic document, which belongs to and is kept at the British Library, on May 10. The elderly pair entered the library at around 10.40am and were pictured appearing to knock the glass with a hammer and chisel in what was branded 'reckless vandalism'. They were then seen holding a sign reading 'The government is breaking the law', while apparently gluing themselves to the casing. Reverend Sue Paritt, 82 and Judith Bruce, 85 have denied causing damage to property at the British Library during a Just Stop Oil protest last Friday The elderly pair held up a sign reading 'the Government is breaking the law' The Magna Carta is a revered legal document dating back more than 800 years. It established for the first time the principle that neither the government or the monarch is above the law and forms part of Britain's uncodified constitution. This famous royal charter of rights was agreed by King John at Runnymede, near Windsor, on June 15, 1215. A statement from the British Library following the protest confirmed that while the hardened glass enclosure was 'minimally damaged', the Magna Carta itself remained intact. The statement said: 'An incident occurred at the British Library on Friday 10 May in which two individuals attacked the toughened glass case containing the Magna Carta in the Library's Treasures Gallery. 'The Library's Security team intervened to prevent further damage to the case, which was minimal. 'The police were notified and the Magna Carta itself remains undamaged.' The Library's Treasury Gallery was closed to the public after the incident. Paritt and Bruce appeared to knock a hammer and chisel into the glass casing protecting the historic document in the Library's Treasury Gallery Conservative chairman Robert Holden called the pair's actions 'reckless vandalism', while Chris Philp, the then Policing Minister, labelled the JSO protest 'an act of extremism'. Mr Philps said: 'Eco-zealots have gone from being harmless hippies to committing reckless acts of criminal damage. 'The Magna Carta is symbolic of our rules-based system, which Just Stop Oil and their friends clearly have contempt for. 'We decide things in this country through peaceful debate, reasoned persuasion and democratic elections - not by vandalism or violence.' Parfitt, of Henbury, Bristol, and Bruce, of Bishopston, Swansea, South Wales, were conditionally bailed. Their trial, which is expected to last four days, was set for January 13 2026. A man has pleaded guilty to making antisemitic posts on X that included calls for a 'Jew-free world' and to 'let them Jews die and pile them high'. Peter Kandalaft, 57, of Addlestone, Surrey, sent multiple tweets following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 and Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza. Prosecutor James Cable said that the posts included 'let's smash the Jews' and that 'we all need a Jew-free world and world peace'. One was sent in response to an image of a dead person in an Israel Defence Forces uniform, Mr Cable told Westminster Magistrates' Court. The post said they would 'look even better when I stamp on their Jew heads as well'. Peter Kandalaft arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London for his hearing today The court heard Kandalaft posted 21 tweets between November 2 and December 25 2023 that were reported to the police by a charity that aims to protect British Jews from antisemitism. But his X account - Kandalaft-Peter - had been suspended by the time police investigated the report. As a result, the force were unable to access any posts beyond those captured by the charity. Officers arrested Kandalaft at his home address in Addlestone on January 11 and seized an iPhone and iPad. Peter Kandalaft at court today wearing a blue suit and with his long grey hair tied in a ponytail During police interview, he said he was Palestinian, his account had been hacked, and that he had 'no particular views on Hamas or Jewish people', Mr Cable said. The iPad and iPhone were found to contain a series of emails with X about the account, including ones to say it had been suspended and that Kandalaft had tried to appeal the suspension. His defence barrister Norman Cho asked District Judge Nina Tempia to consider issuing the defendant a fine, and said: 'Mr Kandalaft regrets saying this, the tweets have ruined his reputation. 'He is an intelligent man, he was overcome by the events at the time - it doesn't excuse the way he phrased it.' Officers arrested Peter Kandalaft at his home address in Addlestone, Surrey, on January 11 Judge Tempia responded: 'It is an extremely serious offence - you say your client regrets saying what was said on Twitter, but people say things online because they think they can get away with it, but that didn't happen.' The court heard Kandalaft is of previous good character and his posts had relatively low engagement, with one having 22 views when it was documented by the charity. He appeared in the dock wearing a blue suit and with his long grey hair tied in a ponytail, and spoke only to confirm his name, age and to plead guilty to sending 'at least three' indecent, obscene or menacing posts on X between November 19 and December 19, 2023. He was released on conditional bail and ordered not to post on X, and also faces a charge of possessing an offensive weapon that will be dealt with at the same court on August 19. British families heading to Spain, Portugal and Morocco for their summer holidays this week have been warned to brace for a heatwave with highs of up to 46C (115F). The Met Office said the peak would be this Wednesday when Madrid will reach 39C (102F) and Seville 43C (109F), while Lisbon will get up to 37C (99F). But the hottest weather in the region will be in Marrakech which will hit 46C on the same day - although temperatures are set to ease by the end of this week. Met Office senior operational meteorologist Marco Petagna urged visitors to 'take care' if travelling to the south-west Europe region over the coming days. He added that temperatures in the high-20Cs and locally mid-30Cs were typical for the time of year - meaning that those this week are 10C or more above average. Other global cities expected to hit at least 40C (104F) tomorrow include Baghdad in Iraq (46C), Riyadh in Saudi Arabia (44C) and Abu Dhabi in the UAE (40C). Spain has already been experiencing very hot temperatures in recent days, with local authorities issuing health alerts and warning of a high risk of wildfires. In Madrid, homeless people were bussed in from across the capital last week to take shelter in an air-conditioned centre with food, drinks and a washroom area. Greece has been experiencing its second heatwave of the summer over the last week, which has brought forest fires and 43C (109F) temperatures. Other countries affected by very hot weather this month include Italy, which put 14 cities under the highest level of alert. And Croatia has seen a prolonged heatwave with 37C (99F) highs. Meanwhile the state power company in Serbia reported record consumption last Tuesday because of increased use of air conditioning. And wildfires have ripped through the popular Cascais coastal area of Portugal amid very dry and windy conditions. People apply suncream amid a heatwave at Malvarrosa beach in Valencia, Spain, on Saturday A sunseeker enjoys the heatwave on the Malvarrosa beach in Valencia on Saturday People apply suncream amid a heatwave at Malvarrosa beach in Valencia on Saturday A firefighting amphibious aircraft drops water over a forest fire in Cascais, Portugal, yesterday Dramatic footage taken yesterday showed a 'major' wildfire spreading through the countryside, with more than a dozen firefighting aircraft and almost 400 firefighters worked to get the fire under control. This morning, 156 firefighters remained at the site as the battle against the huge fire continued into what was said to be the final stages. Meanwhile in Greece, dramatic footage shows how blazes are tearing through forests in various parts of the country, burning non-stop for days after being ignited by lightning strikes and fanned by strong winds. In the northern mountainous area of Falakro, a wall of flames has been burning grassland for five days straight after lightning strikes ignited two areas, which then merged into a singular large front. The fire is spreading quickly due to strong winds, Protothema reports, with fire service helicopters continuing to battle the blaze with water dumps amid fears it could spread out of control to residential areas. Large areas of Europe have been hit by increasingly damaging forest fire seasons in recent years that experts say are driven by rising temperatures fuelled by climate change. Last summer thousands of British tourists fled Rhodes on evacuation flights due to severe wildfires that swept across parts of the Greek island. The extreme weather hasn't just been limited to heat either, with torrential rain and flash floods sweeping through much of Europe. Policemen control traffic during a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais Heavy smoke and large flames rise at a large forest fire on July 21, 2024, in Cascais, Portugal A large plume of smoke rises above an apartments complex in Alcabideche, Portugal A woman saves animals during a forest fire in Alcabideche, Cascais Two Canadair CL-215 (Scooper) firefighting amphibious aircraft fly over heavy smoke to drop water at a large forest fire in Portugal A fireman battles a forest fire in Alcabideche. 14 people are said to have been injured in the fire Cars have been swept away by flash floods in parts of France and the Netherlands over recent days, with streets turning into rivers and people being trapped in their homes and even hospitalised. Severe storms have proven deadly in the mountains of Germany and Austria, where two young hikers, aged 18 and 22, died in separate incidents after being struck by lightning bolts. Warnings are in place as more stormy weather is expected today. In France, more than 45,000 lightning strikes were recorded over the weekend, in what is thought to be the worst storm wave of the year. An 'intense stormy episode' which began on Saturday night has led to 'significant' flooding in the north-eastern region of Haute-Marne. Five people were reportedly admitted to hospital following a heavy storm, 'mainly for hypothermia', according to regional officials. Huge hailstones were filmed falling in areas along France's south-eastern coastline and on the island of Corsica last night, with locals and visitors warned to exercise caution. Flash floods have also ravaged parts of the country, with people being evacuated from their homes in the early hours of Sunday morning as roads were blocked and power was taken out. In Britain, temperatures are expected to reach the mid-20Cs in some areas this week as the weather looks set to improve for the start of the summer holidays. Rain and cloudy conditions were forecast across the UK today with some areas seeing showers which could be heavy, before spells of warm sunshine start to develop. The mercury will reach 24C (75F) in South East England today ahead of drier and brighter weather tomorrow and Wednesday with sunny spells and highs of 26C (79F). Another weather system will then move into Britain from the west for Thursday, bringing wet conditions to most of the country, before sunny spells and some showers on Friday. The Met Office said UK temperatures on Thursday and Friday are expected to be nearer average, with highs of 23C (73F) in the South. High pressure then looks likely to build during the weekend bringing some drier and more settled weather especially across southern areas and similar temperatures. A heartbroken Philadelphia mother who lost her two young children during a family pool day has revealed the dangerous game she fears took their lives. Mom-of-six Brittney McWhite lost her 11-year-old daughter London Marie and 14-year-old son Wadale within a matter of minutes over Memorial Day weekend. The family was at a holiday party in Gloucester, New Jersey, as the siblings decided to play a game of Marco Polo while holding their breaths. After setting up for the cookout, Brittney realized she couldn't find her children, who she said both knew how to swim. Family members quickly jumping in to save them from the bottom of the pool but, after a week on life support, the brother and sister died on June 2. Brittney McWhite lost two of her six children, London Marie and son Wadale, within a matter of minutes, on Memorial Day weekend at a pool party in Gloucester, New Jersey Wadale, 14 (left) and London Marie, 11 (right) The grieving mother issued a stern warning to fellow parents who may take their kids to cool off at a pool, beach, or any open body of water. 'Always have a set of eyes. Prevent your kids from playing games. Make sure the pool is safe. 'If it doesn't look right, don't do it. Because once you lose your child, it is hard. It's really hard to stomach,' Brittney told FOX 29 Philadelphia. On the day of the tragic incident, Brittney said London Marie and Wadale went into the water while she helped prepare food inside. When she came outside, she couldn't find her kids, and quickly discovered that the siblings were in trouble. 'They weren't in there for more than like three or four minutes. They called their names...and when they jumped in, they were at the bottom of the pool.' On the day of the tragic incident, Brittney said London Marie and Wadale (pictured) went into the water while she helped prepare food inside After setting up for the cookout, Brittney quickly realized she couldn't find London Marie (pictured) and Wadale, who both knew how to swim London Marie and Wadale were taken to the hospital, where they remained on breathing support machines to stay alive for a week. It soon became clear to Brittney and the kids' father that their conditions weren't going to change. 'Keeping my child hooked onto a machine for the rest of their life is not ideally what any parent should want for their children, so today me and dad decided to end life support,' Birttney said. Just after their deaths, London Marie would have celebrated her 12th birthday, while Wadale would have graduated from eighth grade. On June 9, Kymm McWhite, the children's grandmother, posted a video of the family releasing balloons in honor of them. 'This was their party #2 and #4 continue to SIP my babies. HAPPY HEAVENLY B-DAY BABY GIRL!!!! This would have been your 12th,' she wrote on Facebook. A few days later, the grandmother shared separate posts for each of them. 'Missing you Waddie. I want to hear your laughter, see your smile, have you get upset with me calling you countless times to go to the store.......there will be no more store runs, nor laughter, nor your beautiful smile. Just your memory,' she said. In a post for her granddaughter, Kymm wrote: 'I miss you soooo much Lon-Lon.' A celebration of life was held for both of them on June 22 at the Church of Christian Compassion in Philadelphia. Brittney created a GoFundMe page to help pay for the funeral that her late children 'deserved.' Just after their untimely deaths, London Marie (right) would have celebrated her 12th birthday, while Wadale (left) would have graduated from eighth grade. (pictured: Brittney (middle) and her children On June 18 the mother posted a link to the donation page on Facebook and said: 'I greatly appreciate your love and support and need help laying my babies to rest.' As of Monday afternoon, the page has raised more than $23,000 for the grieving family. 'Keep your kids close. Tell your kids you love them while they're here. Once something happens, all you have is memories. 'It's horrible, you never get those back. It's hard, but you have other kids, and you still have a family. You don't have time to grieve,' Brittney told Fox News Digital. 'I know they're at peace, it's just very devastating. Not to lose one child but two. I think that's more challenging because you can't stomach that, but you have to keep going.' To prevent drownings, the CDC recommends a number of things, including enclosing pools with fences, supervising nearby children and learning CPR in case the worst does happen. Suicides at San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge have dramatically declined since officials installed a huge $400 million safety feature described as a 'cheese grater' earlier this year. A 20-foot-wide stainless steel mesh now lines both sides of the 2.7-kilometer bridge as both a deterrence for would-be jumpers, and as a literal safety net. Since construction of the lifesaving barrier was completed on January 1 2024, there have only been three confirmed suicides - compared with the estimated 15 to 20 during the same period pre-net - a decrease of 83 percent. Dennis Mulligan, general manager of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, said that landing on the net is designed to be painful. 'It's stainless-steel wire rope netting, so it's like jumping into a cheese grater,' Mulligan said. 'It's not soft. It's not rubber. It doesn't stretch. We want folks to know that if you come here, it will hurt if you jump.' Suicides at San Francisco's notorious Golden Gate Bridge have halved after officials installed a new $400 million safety feature earlier this year, figures show Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District spokesman Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz told The Mercury News this month that the net is 'working as intended to save lives and deter people from coming to the bridge to harm themselves'. Work on the barrier began in 2018 and was set to be completed by January 2021 but has been repeatedly delayed. Kevin Hines, who survived jumping from the structure in 2000, said he is 'grateful' that people working on the project never gave up. 'Had the net been there, I would have been stopped by the police and gotten the help I needed immediately and never broken my back, never shattered three vertebrae, and never been on this path I was on,' he said. 'I'm so grateful that a small group of like-minded people never gave up on something so important.' Hines is one of only 36 people to survive jumping from the bridge, and he's now a suicide prevention advocate. The net placed 20 feet down from the bridges deck is not visible from cars crossing the bridge. But pedestrians standing by the rails can see them. It was built with marine-grade stainless steel that can withstand the harsh environment that includes salt water, fog and strong winds that often envelop the striking orange structure at the mouth of the San Francisco Bay. Kevin Hines (pictured) who survived jumping from the bridge in September 2000, said he is 'grateful' that people working on the safety net project never gave up Suicides at San Francisco's notorious Golden Gate Bridge are down a whopping 83 percent after officials installed a new $400 million safety feature earlier this year Pictured: A view of a net designed to prevent suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide attempts have also declined since the safety barrier was completed. There have been 56 successful interventions this year involving first responders or bridge workers successfully talking people out of jumping, compared with an average 149 interventions needed over the same period before the net was in place. Firefighters in both San Francisco and Marin counties have been trained to climb down and rescue anyone who jumps into the nets. Meanwhile on the deck, members of a bridge patrol work to spot people considering suicide and prevent them from jumping. Nearly 2,000 people have plunged to their deaths since the bridge opened in 1937. Support can be found through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. The billionaire bride who tried to bully a powerless namesake into giving up her Instagram handle looks to be putting the scandal behind after posting to the platform under her maiden name. Influencer Katherine Asplundh discovered that her influence only extended so far after finding that her new married name was already taken by another Instagram user ahead of her wedding in May to Pennsylvania billionaire Cabot Asplundh. She deleted her account after her increasingly aggressive demands for the handle @katherineasplundh were revealed by her namesake, and outraged netizens scooped up every possible name variation to put them out of her reach. But the young College of Charleston grad seems to have resigned herself to posting under her maiden name, after uploading some cheerful shots from her first summer as a married woman. She grins broadly in one revealing shot as her billionaire beau clutches her, while she clutches a large white wine, under the caption 'Summer lately'. Influencer Katherine Asplundh updated followers with a picture of her in a cuddle with her new husband, the billionaire Pennsylvania tree-chopping heir Cabot Asplundh, 27 After the happy couple exchanged vows, the new Asplundh reached out another to woman of the same name in hopes of purchasing a new Instagram account name The loved-up couple are pictured behind the wheel of a speedboat in another amid an assortment of dogs, horses, friends, beaches and country houses. She first reactivated her account in June after attending her brother-in-law Carl's wedding, where he married his longtime partner of five years, Savanna Smith. 'Special day celebrating Carl and Savanna,' her Instagram story caption read, with a picture of the happy couple kissing during their marriage ceremony. But it was posted to her old handle @katherinedrisc, created under her maiden name Katherine Driscoll. Throughout the scandal she continued to post on her TikTok account @lostetiquette, but she was accused of hypocrisy when internet users dug up an old TikTok of hers mocking new wives who can't wait to update their name on social media. 'Something that low key bothers me is when girls get married and it's not even like 10 minutes after they do their vows and they're like 'Oh! going on my Instagram! Let me change my last name already,' Katherine said in the now-deleted post. She then says she's 'probably going to wait a couple of months' to change her name.' 'I just think it's a little bit a lot when I see girls change it before I even knew they were f***ing married, like chill,' Katherine ironically explained.' Despite her rant about new wives, Katherine contacted Kate, owner of her desired IG handle asking if she could buy it, which is actually a violation of the platform's terms of service. The young pair looked happy and loved-up in the shots posted under the title 'Summer lately' In reaching out to the woman known only as Kate, who has since shared the messages on social media, the newlywed unintentionally went viral Asplundh then continues to question the legitimacy of her name, who confirms she is not American Kate refused and explained how she feared selling the username would get her 'banned from Instagram'. This prompted Katherine to launch a tirade against her. Kate claims she was initially open to changing her username but decided against doing so after Katherine 'came off snarky,' later shared the exchange online. In the now-viral exchange, Katherine starts by asking if she can buy the Instagram handle. 'Hi I was wondering if I could purchase your username from you,' she wrote. 'Just got married and this in my new name!' Kate replied: 'That's my name too. I just googled and it said selling my username would get me banned from Instagram.' But Katherine pushed back, saying: 'I purchased my username in the past actually that's not true. Celebrities do it all the time that's how they all have their handles as their full names. 'So weird, I didn't know there was another Asplundh's family out there. There [are] no Katherine Asplundh in our family.' She then adds: 'I see that you're not that active on here but started Instagram in 2018 but changed your username three times? Is there anyway I can get you to change your username one more time?' Kate responds, explaining that the @katherineasplundh account is her so-called 'finsta', a term that refers to a 'fake' or secondary account that users create to share content just with close friends and family. The conversation turns sour, with Katherine seemingly questioning Kate's identity. 'I actually don't believe that your name is Katherine Asplundh who would make their finsta their actual name?' Katherine wrote. 'I reported you to Instagram and they're actually able to tell me your real name I really hope I don't know you because that's gonna be really embarrassing for you.' Asplundh (second from right) seems to have put the scandal behind her in her latest posts The family that she married into founded Asplundh Tree Expert, which in 2021 reported revenue of over $5.4 billion dollars Cabot proposed to her in Mantoloking, New Jersey two years after they met Kate eventually told Asplundh that if she had been nice about it, she would have considered giving her the account name for free Kate asked the influencer to report her, but Katherine confirmed that she and her new husband have already done so. Katherine then continued to question the legitimacy of Kate's name, alleging that her husband's family are the only Asplundhs in the US. Kate confirmed she is not American, to which Katherine replies: 'Do you have proof that this is your name? Would love to see that.' Kate then told Katherine that if she had been nice about it, she would have considered giving her the account name for free. She hit back at the influencer, saying: 'But you weren't. I reported you for asking me to sell my account and another for harassing me. Have a good day.' Speaking to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kate told the outlet: 'I was open to giving her my username. 'I just didn't want to sell it because that would get me banned. After I replied to her, her messages came off snarky so I told myself, 'OK, this isn't worth it'.' According to her social media pages, Katherine is originally from New Vernon, New Jersey, having studied at College of Charleston. Her TikTok page, named Lost Etiquette, boasts over 88,000 followers with over 6.2 million likes on her profile. The family that she married into founded Asplundh Tree Expert, which in 2021 reported revenue of over $5.4 billion dollars. The tree trimming company was founded by three brothers from Sweden - Lester, Griffith and Cabot's great grandfather Carl Asplundh. Cabot's father Chris Asplundh is currently the company's CEO. Katherine and Cabot met in Prague while Katherine was studying aboard and connected over growing up at the Jersey Shore, according to their wedding website. Two years later, Cabot proposed to her in Mantoloking, New Jersey. Their extravagant wedding registry included a $600 blender and cash donations for their St Bart's honeymoon, as well as for furnishing their home. Former Senate candidate and celebrity surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz is part of the family by marriage, with his wife Lisa's grandfather cofounding the family business in 1928 with his two brothers. Celebrity fitness expert Tracy Anderson is also married into the family after she wed Chris Asplundh in 2015. Katherine is seen with her wedding party at her recent nuptials in Florida The company, which maintains trees for electric utilities, municipalities and others, is run by the third generation of Asplundhs and owned by nearly 200 family members, who are collectively worth at least $3 billion, according to Forbes. Kate, who told The Inquirer only that her name was Katherine J. Asplundh, shared the exchange onto Reddit, telling the outlet: 'The whole thing just seemed silly and ridiculous to me. I thought they'd have a laugh and that would be it.' One user commented: 'Legitimately insane behavior 'I don't believe that's your name' HUH?!?!.' Another posted: 'The pivot from hey girly to let me see your birth certificate gave me whiplash.' While another said: 'Omg this is crazy- she married into a billionaire family and is acting like they're the only ones allowed to have that last name wtf.' Since then, Katherine's social media pages have been filled with comments and she reportedly had to privatize her page, before making it public again. According to Instagram, users are forbidden from buying, selling, or transferring 'any aspect of your account'. Asplundh and Cabot met in Prague while she was studying aboard and connected over growing up at the Jersey Shore, according to their wedding website Katherine Asplundh, formerly Driscoll, married Cabot Asplundh, 27, at a reception in Palm Beach, Florida Despite this, an investigation by Vox shone the light on an entire economy of people selling and buying names on dedicated online marketplaces. Social media handles are supposed to be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis but in some cases celebs have used their influence to pass these rules. In 2019, Kevin Keiley of West Sussex claimed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took his @sussexroyal handle. Instagram said that the account name being reassigned was due to Keiley's being inactive. Labour was today accused of offering an 'amnesty' to asylum seekers after the Government announced it is scrapping legislation linked to the Rwanda scheme. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper this afternoon told MPs she would reverse part of former prime minister Rishi Sunak's Illegal Migration Act. The legislation has barred anyone arriving in the UK illegally since March 2023 from being granted asylum, with these people having been earmarked for removal to Rwanda. It is estimated Labour's law change will affect around 100,000 migrants who have arrived in the UK by small boats or other illegal routes. The Refugee Council, a UK-based charity, has suggested 70 per cent of those migrants previously earmarked for deportation to Rwanda will be successful with asylum claims. Shadow home secretary James Cleverly branded the move 'an effective amnesty'. Since winning power, Labour has declared the Rwanda scheme 'dead and buried' and Ms Cooper today told the House of Commons it had been a 'costly con'. She revealed the Conservative scheme had cost British taxpayers 700million, with a total of just four volunteers sent to the African country. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper this afternoon told MPs she would reverse part of former prime minister Rishi Sunak's Illegal Migration Act A group of people are pictured boarding a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the Channel on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk, in northern France James Cleverly, Ms Cooper's predecessor as home secretary, is pictured with Rwanda's foreign minister Vincent Biruta after signing an agreement in Kigali, Rwanda, in December last year Your browser does not support iframes. In a Commons statement, Ms Cooper branded the Rwanda scheme the 'most shocking waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen'. She said the costs of the scheme included a 290million payment to Rwanda, 'chartering flights that never took off' and 'detaining hundreds of people and then releasing them'. The Home Secretary warned that co-operation with European police forces is 'too limited' and more needs to be done to tackle people-smuggling 'upstream' long before migrant boats reach the French coast. 'I'm extremely concerned that high levels of dangerous crossings we have inherited are likely to persist through the summer,' she said. Ms Cooper also blasted the previous government for creating an 'asylum Hotel California' in which people arrived in the system but never leave. She said there were 'legal contradictions' in the Illegal Migration Act and 'no decision' can be taken on an individual's case if they arrived in the UK after March 2023 and meet key conditions in the legislation. 'They just stay in the asylum system,' the Home Secretary said. 'Even if they've come here unlawfully for economic reasons and should be returned to their home country, they won't be because the law doesn't work. 'Only a small minority might ever have been sent to Rwanda and everyone else stays indefinitely in taxpayer-funded accommodation and support.' Ms Cooper warned the cost of the 'indefinitely rising' asylum backlog in hotel and accommodation support bills was 'astronomical'. She told MPs: 'The potential costs of asylum support over the next four years, if we continue down this track, could be an eye-watering 30billion to 40billion that is double the annual police budget for England and Wales.' Ms Cooper vowed to 'end the asylum chaos and start taking asylum decisions again so we can clear the backlog and end asylum hotels'. The Home Secretary said she was laying a statutory instrument which ends the 'retrospective nature' of the Illegal Migration Act provisions to ensure that the Home Office can 'immediately start clearing cases from after March 2023'. She added: 'Making this one simple change will save the taxpayer an estimated 7billion over the next 10 years.' Responding to Ms Cooper, Mr Cleverly said Labour had already worsened the issue of small boat crossings in the Channel in just two and a half weeks in power and criticised the Government for removing the 'deterrent' of the Rwanda scheme. He told MPs: 'The reality is everybody knows, including the people smugglers, that the small boat problem is going to get worse, indeed has already got worse under Labour because they have no deterrent. 'People are being sold a lie when they're being smuggled into this country across the busiest shipping lanes. And we do need to stop them. Too many lives have already been lost.' He asked Ms Cooper whether she had 'started negotiations on returns agreements with the Taliban, or the ayatollahs of Iran, or [Bashar] Assad in Syria?' 'The fact there is now no safe third country to return people to who cannot be returned home means that we ask, where is she going to send the people who come here from countries like Afghanistan or Iraq, in Syria?,' Mr Cleverly said. He branded the Home Secretary's Commons statement as 'hyperbole' and 'made up numbers'. 'Labour has given an effective amnesty to thousands of asylum seekers who were banned under Conservative plans,' he added. Today's Commons clashes followed reports that, under Labour's plans, those who come from 'safe' countries such as India, Vietnam and Albania will have their asylum claims prioritised because it will be easier for them to be returned home. This is in contrast to those from countries such as Afghanistan and Syria. Only 3 per cent of asylum seekers from India have their applications accepted, along with 7 per cent of Albanians and 46 per cent of Vietnamese. Some 1,499 migrants arrived in the UK in 27 boats from July 15 to 21, according to latest Home Office figures. The provisional total for the year so far to 15,831, which is 9 per cent higher than the number recorded this time last year (14,534) and up 3 per cent on the same period in 2022 (15,314). A 'cult' member accused of plotting to kidnap a coroner told a court he is a 'man of honour' who was trying to tackle 'state child trafficking'. Matthew Martin, 47, is accused of storming into Chelmsford Crown Court in Essex, to try and kidnap senior coroner Lincoln Brookes. Martin today claimed he had 'never even met' Mr Brookes as he denied conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment. The accused, from Plaistow, east London, is said to be part of an 'anti-establishment cult' that are accused of trying to 'shut down' Essex Coroner's Court in April 2023. Mr Brookes was not at the court at the time. Mark Christopher, 58, of Forest Gate, east London; Shiza Harper, 45, of South Benfleet, Essex; and Sean Harper, 38, also of South Benfleet, Essex, are also on trial alongside Martin. Matthew Martin, 47, told the court he is a 'man of honour' and claims to 'deal with state child trafficking' Shiza Harper, 45, (left) and Sean Harper, 38, (right) both of South Benfleet, Essex, are on trial alongside Martin and Mark Christopher, 58, of Forest Gate, east London. All deny conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment The five defendants are said to be part of a group called 'Federal Postal Court' which rejects the authority of the UK Government and its administrations. All deny conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment and sending letters to cause distress. Today, at Chelmsford Crown Court, jurors were shown a video of Martin - a so-called 'sheriff' for the 'cult' - entering the Coroner's court at Seax House on April 20 last year wearing high-vis jackets and holding handcuffs. Defending his actions, Martin told the court he believed his Sheriff role had been approved by King Charles and his late mother Queen Elizabeth. Denying that he was part of a cult, he told jurors that he worked in preventing 'state child trafficking' and that it had been his first day on the job in April last year before 'enduring 15 months of this' - referencing the ongoing legal proceedings. He said: 'My job is to protect the judge and then I went. That's what I did..' 'I went there to do my duties because the judge (Christopher) said they're not allowed to hold her majesty's shield,' he added. He continued: 'I have worked for the last two years for free. I have been slandered with no evidence. 'They have come through my door and terrorised my family. I have never met Lincoln Brookes and don't know who Lincoln Brookes is. Senior Coroner Lincoln Brookes (pictured)previously said he received a string of 'very bizarre' letters in 2022 'I have gone to protect the judge, I'm going to stand in honour. I was a servant of the crown. I have not disrespected the Queen Elizabeth II.' Getting emotional from the witness box, on one occasion coming close to tears, Martin claimed police had visited his home 'every day' including once at 3am in the morning. 'What I do for a living, what I do every day when I wake up, I deal with state child trafficking,' he said. He added that it was 'nothing to do with terrorism or cult, it's strictly facts'. Martin went on to say that he 'couldn't give a monkey's' about Mr Brookes, again claiming he has 'never met him' and 'doesn't hold a grudge'. He added: 'I am who I am. I know why I went there, I did my duty. I went to shut the court down. If he is doing something wrong, that's his issue.' Closing his evidence, he continued to refute the suggestion that he and his co-defendants were in a 'cult', adding: 'Unless I'm a cult that saves younglings then fine, I'm a cult.' Ahead of speaking today, Martin handed out copies of a book titled 'Your Own Court of Record for Every Country and Every Jurisdiction: The Facts that Destroy all Parliamentary Systems, Governments and their Acts'. The book was said to be written by 'Janine Linehan' and 'directive by Mark-kishon: Christopher' which purported to be under the 'directive' of co-defendant Mark Christopher. His co-defendant Harper said, in a transcript of his police interview that was previously read to jurors, that he was a 'student' of Christopher, who he described as a 'very knowledgeable man'. Harper said he was part of a group carrying out a 'warrant' to 'condemn these unlawful buildings that are causing harm to the people'. He said Christopher was the 'chief federal postal court judge' of the 'federal postal court', a group which rejects the authority of the UK government and all relevant administrations. The judge who is presiding over the case at Chelmsford Crown Court, Mr Justice Goss, offered Christopher the opportunity to give evidence before Martin chose to enter the witness box. Christopher kept his eyes closed and his head bowed, as he sat in the secure dock of the court, and did not move when the judge offered him the opportunity to give evidence in his defence. Coroner Brookes previously said he received a series of 'very bizarre' letters in 2022 before receiving emails in April 2023 stating that 'corporal punishment may be administered'. The coroner said he 'felt this was a security threat to my safety' and later contacted police, but said he was told the 'risk was low'. Mr Bookes added that there was a further 'ominous' email on April 19 last year, before people turned up looking for him the following day - on April 20. The coroner, however, had not been at the court in Chelmsford that morning, having accompanied a family member to a hospital appointment, but was due to attend the court to preside over an inquest that afternoon. Mr Brookes said he was warned not to come to the building and was told 'these are the people from the letter - they're coming to get you'. 'I turned around and started driving home as fast as I could as I was fearful for the safety of my family,' he said. Christopher also denies sending threatening letters to Mr Brookes with intent to cause distress or anxiety. Michelle Brown, Essex area coroner, told jurors she had been conducting documentary inquests - from paperwork and without witnesses or family present - when four people entered the courtroom on April 20 last year. Ms Brown repeatedly asked the group to identify themselves, mistaking them for maintenance workers as three of them were wearing hi-vis jackets. She said they 'carried on walking towards me' and 'it wasn't until I saw the symbols on the hi-vis jackets that I realised who they were'. 'I knew of letters that had been received by the coroner's service with those symbols on and I had read the contents of some of those letters,' said Ms Brown. 'I asked them to leave and this main gentleman (Christopher) who wasn't wearing the hi-vis jacket started to talk. She said the group asked for Mr Brooke and asked where his office was. However, Mr Brooke was not in court at that time. 'The female of the group had like, the newspaper bags, and she was instructed to throw that on the ground to seize the court,' said Ms Brown. 'I was told by the main gentleman they had seized the court and it was in their control.' She said they 'made mention they had handcuffs and given Mr Brookes wasn't there I believed they would take me'. Ms Brown said that Martin assaulted security guard Mr McCormack and broke his glasses. Martin denies assault by beating of security guard Eammon McCormack on April 20 2023, and the criminal damage of his spectacles. The court previously heard Martin was arrested at the scene while the other three defendants were arrested at Southend County Court later the same day, where they had also attempted to 'condemn' the court building. The trial continues. In December 1972, Joe Biden's life was picture perfect. At 30 years old, he had just been elected to represent Delaware in Congress, making him the second youngest senator in history. He had a beautiful wife of six years, Neilia. They shared three healthy children sons Beau, 4, Hunter, 3, and 13-month-old daughter Naomi. In fact, their good fortune was so great that Biden's young wife admitted it made her nervous. Sitting by the fire in their Wilmington home writing Christmas cards together, she turned to him, filled with dread. 'What's going to happen, Joey?' she asked. 'Things are too good.' In December 1972, Joe Biden's life was picture perfect, he had a beautiful loving wife of six years, Neilia and three healthy young children - sons, Beau, 4, and Hunter, 3, and 13-month-old daughter Naomi But in December 1972, all of that changed, when Biden's wife and daughter were killed in a horrific car crash Days later, newly-elected Biden was working in Washington DC, interviewing prospective staff, when the phone rang. 'They put a pretty young woman on the phone. She was so nervous,' Biden recalled nearly 50 years later at a rally for his 2020 presidential campaign, 'She said: "You gotta come home. There's been an accident."' At approximately 2.30 pm on Monday, December 18, Neilia had been driving along a suburban road with her three children on the way to pick up a Christmas tree in Hockessin, Delaware, when she crept through a stop sign directly into the path of a speeding tractor-trailer. Her Chevrolet station wagon was struck side-on and hurled 150 feet into an embankment. 'Biden For Senate' campaign flyers that were still piled in the car's trunk filled the air and were strewn all over the roadway, along with shards of glass and twisted debris. Neilia, also 30, and Naomi were rushed to Wilmington General Hospital, but it was too late. They were declared dead on arrival. Beau and Hunter were severely injured, but alive. Beau's leg had been broken. Hunter's skull had been fractured. Beau and Hunter were hospitalized after the crash, and Biden was sworn in as a Delaware senator from the chapel in the hospital where they were being treated Beau was wheeled into the small chapel attached to the hospital and Hunter was perched on the side of the bed as their father was officially sworn in In that instant, Biden became a widower and a single father with two boys under the age of five. He fell into a state of deep grief and depression, later revealing he even contemplated suicide. 'I thought about what it would be like just to go to the Delaware Memorial Bridge and just jump off and end it all,' Biden told CNN for a 2020 documentary about his political life. By all accounts, Neilia was a great love. They had met in 1963, both aged 20, while Biden was on Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale. He and his friends were bored and decided to take an impromptu trip to Nassau, where Neilia was holidaying. Neilia's wealthy Republican parents were staying at a fancy beach resort that Biden, who grew up the son of working-class parents, could never afford. But he and his pals had stolen towels with the hotel logo and bluffed their way into the resort pool. Spotting Neilia, Biden said it was love at first sight; but he had competition, as his friends fancied her too. So, they flipped a coin to decide who got to speak to her. Biden won. He took Neilia for dinner that night and told her he was going to marry her. Three years later, they wed. He was infatuated, describing her in a 1974 interview as 'my very best friend, my greatest ally, my sensuous lover.' After her death, he considered resigning from public office to focus on raising his boys but Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield persuaded him not to. Two and a half weeks after the crash, a media circus descended on the hospital where Hunter and Beau were still being treated for their injuries. Beau was wheeled into the small chapel attached to the hospital and Hunter was perched on the side of the bed as their father was officially sworn in as senator. By all accounts, Neilia was the great love of his life. They had met in 1963 while on Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale After her death, he considered resigning from public office to focus on the boys but Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield persuaded him not to Photos of the ceremony, showing Biden solemnly raising his hand to take the oath with his sickly children in the foreground, were shown around the world. As he left the hospital, his mother, Catherine Eugenia 'Jean' Biden, turned to him and said: 'Out of everything terrible that happens to you, something good will come if you look hard enough for it.' But he'd have to wait a while. In the coming months, he went through the motions at work and, instead of moving to Washington, started commuting two hours each way from his home in Wilmington. 'I did it because I wanted to be able to kiss [Beau and Hunter] goodnight and kiss them in the morning the next day,' Biden said. Eventually, his sister Valerie moved into the Wilmington home to help care for the young boys. Meanwhile, Biden's depression worsened. He wrote in his 2017 autobiography that 'it felt like there was a tiny dark hole in the middle of my chest [that] threatened to suck my entire being down into it.' He started to score his moods on a scale from one to 10, recording them daily on a calendar in the hope of feeling better. The number one signified he felt like he was having the worst day of his life, ten signified the best day. For six months, he filled the calendar with ones. He wrote in his 2017 autobiography Promise me, Dad: 'It felt like there was a tiny dark hole in the middle of my chest, and I knew if I dwelled on its presence, it would grow until it threatened to suck my entire being down into it.' It wasn't until three years after Neilia and Naomi's deaths that life began to turn around for Joe, 32, when he was set up on a blind date with Jill Jacobs, 23. Biden would later say: 'No man deserves one great love, let alone two.' In 1977, Joe and Jill married. Four years later, they welcomed their first and only child, Ashley. But more family tragedy came in 2015, when Joe's son Beau died of brain cancer aged 46. As a result, 'many voters see Joe Biden primarily through the prism of his history of loss,' Biden biographer Ben Schreckinger told DailyMail.com. 'In many ways, he shaped his political identity around his grief using his personal experience to help him empathize with the public and colleagues on the Hill. 'In political circles, he is known for reaching out personally to console people, whether or not they are his political allies, who have lost loved ones.' But not everyone has received such empathetic treatment. The driver of the truck that smashed into the Biden family car, Curtis Dunn, then 33, escaped unscathed and was absolved of all wrongdoing when police determined that Neilia had accidentally driven into his path. It wasn't until three years after Neilia and Naomi's death that Joe's life began to turn around when he was set up on a blind date with Jill Jacobs, 23 (pictured) Each year, Biden, Jill Biden and Hunter visit their family members' graves in Wilmington, Delaware Investigators also found that Dunn had attempted to avoid the collision with such force that he'd overturned his rig, before then rushing to help Neilia and the children. But in the decades following, Biden has repeatedly and falsely implied that Dunn was at fault and had been drinking, describing him as 'a guy who allegedly and I never pursued it drank his lunch instead of eating his lunch.' In 2009, Dunn's daughter Pamela Hamill was asked about Biden's claims for a CBS News report. Her father had passed away in 1999, but Pamela said she had been so upset that she had asked Biden for an apology. Later, she admitted he had, privately at least, been 'very apologetic', calling her personally. But, she said, he'd drawn the line at issuing a 'public apology', saying if he did it would 'end up in all the trashy magazines in the grocery store.' Hamill never took Biden up on an offer to meet with her family in person, and she never heard from him again. As the 81-year-old president now prepares to step back from politics, announcing Sunday that he would no longer accept the Democratic nomination to run again in November's general election, it seems unlikely that Hamill will ever see the record corrected. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was accused of being 'full of s***' and giving less answers than a toddler as she was ripped to shreds by lawmakers during a grilling over Donald Trump's assassination attempt. Furious Democrats and Republicans peppered the embattled Cheatle with questions about how would-be assassin Thomas Crooks, 20, was able to open fire on the former president and told her to resign. She avoided directly answering questions about whether she denied Trump a bigger protection detail, whether she focused on diversity and inclusivity during hiring, and doubled down on not having an agent on the gunman's roof during the brutal hearing on Capitol Hill. In a staggering moment, Cheatle also admitted that her agents on the ground had been warned between two and five times how many times a 'suspicious person' was reported before Trump took the stage. Cheatle insisted she is the still the best person to lead the scandal-hit agency, even though she admitted 'full responsibility' for the massive security failure that led to Trump's shooting on Saturday July 13. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle sat for hours before the House Oversight Committee on Monday to testify about the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. As Democrats and Republicans piled into her, they grew frustrated, at times shouting, in response to her vague and incomplete answers 'You're full of s*** today,' Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. yelled at Cheatle when the Secret Service boss didn't know whether the agency has provided evidence to the committee. 'You're just being completely dishonest.' The South Carolina Republican also ripped into Cheatle for not providing her opening statements in advance of the hearing, though it was published in multiple news outlets hours before she testified. The director said 'I have no idea how my statement got out,' to which Mace sternly retorted, 'That's bulls***.' But Cheatle did not just get yelled at by Republicans. 'You cannot go leading a Secret Service agency when there is an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate!' and incredulous Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told Cheatle during his questioning. 'I believe, Director Cheatle, that you should resign. I think there are colleagues on both sides of the aisle that believe that and I hope you'll consider it.' During the interaction, Cheatle quietly fiddled with a writing utensil, maintained a somber expression, occasionally looked down and then back up at the lawmaker addressing her. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner told Cheatle to her face she 'looks incompetent.' 'Donald Trump is alive and thank God he is,' he said. 'You look incompetent.' 'If Donald Trump had been killed, you would have looked culpable. There is no aspect of this that indicates that there has been any protection to Donald Trump.' She repeatedly avoided answering questions by invoking how 'we're just nine days out from this incident and there is still an ongoing investigation.' Possibly most disappointing to the lawmakers was Cheatle's answer to how long the American people must wait to have answers on the assassination attempt on Trump. She said that the agency expects to have answers for lawmakers within '60 days.' This answer was so horrendous that it brought together two lawmakers on near ideological opposites - Squad Leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and conservative firebrand Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. - together in a rare agreement . They called the 60 day wait period unacceptable. 'You're not making this easy for us,' Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, said in an exasperated fashion after Cheatle refused to disclose figures related to the investigation. Chairman Comer grew so irate at one point he pointedly reminded the director that she is compelled to answer questions under a subpoena. 'You answered more questions with an ABC reporter than you have with members of Congress,' the chairman said. 'You're here with a subpoena, and we expect you to answer the questions,' he continued. Cheatle looks down at notes while listening to questions from lawmakers Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., gets more answers from his kids when they are in trouble than Cheatle has provided at the entire hearing. 'I would get more answers from them than I am getting from you right now,' he said disappointedly. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., asked if Cheatle would have submitted her resignation if Trump were killed. She refused to give a straight answer, saying 'I think that I've admitted that I've taken accountability and will take responsibility.' The Florida Democrat asked her if all the weapons in the U.S. were 'rocket propelled grenades' would that make her job harder. 'Yes,' she responded. Her finally answering a question, albeit a farfetched hypothetical, elicited a cheer from the room after hours of failing to draw out new information about the assassination attempt. Getting her to answer a question was, apparently, a victory. Shockingly, it was highlighted how the shooter was identified as a 'suspicious' person up to five times before he took fire. 'Ma'am, you are a DEI horror story,' Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said to Cheatle. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., was so fed up with Cheatle's non-answers and misdirection that she called for perjury charges to be brought against the Secret Service director. 'It is very frustrating ... that you have been up here basically stonewalling our ability to get answers to the American people.' 'Every single member of Congress does not feel safe with you in charge,' Luna continued. 'We're all sitting ducks with you directing the Secret Service currently.' Evidence that the hearing did not go well for the director, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., joined Comer - the top Republican - to call for Cheatle's resignation concluding the event. Still, Cheatle has repeatedly refused to resign. This is the moment a female motorcycle passenger fell into a sinkhole in the middle of a road in the Colombian seaport city of Barranquilla. Surveillance footage showed the male biker maneuvering around the crater when the motorcycle suddenly tipped over last Wednesday. The biker was left lying between the top of the street pavement and motorcycle and somehow maintaining his balance until a male individual helped him. The woman was not as fortunate, as the impact of the fall caused her to graze her head on the side of the pavement and fall directly into the crater. The camera showed the woman sitting in the sinkhole and touching her head. A surveillance camera in El Bosque, a neighborhood in the Colombian seaport town of Barranquilla, captured the moment a motorcyclist tried to avoid a crater on Wednesday. However, the biker lost control and crashed but avoided falling into the sinkhole. The woman was not as lucky and landed inside the crater The woman suffered various injuries, including a head wound, while the motorcyclist wasn't hurt She subsequently stood up and remained in the crater, complaining about the accident and appearing to reject the biker's attempt to pull her out to the surface. Community activist Felipe Ortiz told La Zona Radio that the woman suffered multiple injuries, including on the head, while the motorcyclist was not harmed. The road is one of the main transit points leading to the nearest neighborhood hospital. 'It had been reported several times and we could see this coming,' Ortiz said. The crater has gone about one year without being fixed, but the Barranquilla mayor's office announced the repairs had been scheduled to begin Monday 'If you look at the general structure of the (road) it is something very serious, the infrastructure is obsolete and of no use ... It's the cherry on top of the cake.' Over the weekend, councilman Alexis Castillo told Caracol Radio that the city's Public Works office had known of the crater since last year, but nothing was done to address the issue. The office of Mayor Alejandro Char told RCN Television that road repairs were scheduled to take place Monday. 'We have already taken the measurements, we have a contractor and next week we are going to start construction, the walls and the upper slab will be reconstructed,' Public Works secretary, Rafael Lafont, said. A wealthy tourist's $1,000 tryst with a Las Vegas prostitute ended up being a very costly mistake after she took off with his jewels that cost nearly $120,000. The unidentified man met the high-priced escort, identified as Maiah Meleschi, after a night of gambling at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino located on the glitzy Las Vegas strip in July 2022. The next morning the man woke up alone in his bed and discovered Meleschi was gone - and so was his $85,000 Rolex, $30,000 gold necklace, and $3,000 in cash. The man reported the incident to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Surveillance footage showed the initial meeting and then Meleschi exiting the hotel wearing a large gold chain and watch, as per a police report, local 8NewsNow reported. A warrant had been issued for her arrest and earlier this month she was caught and booked into the Clark County Detention Center. She has been charged with grand larceny, burglary and possessing stolen property. Maiah Meleschi was charged with grand larceny, burglary and possessing stolen property The Bellagio Hotel & Casino is located right on the Vegas Strip The man filed a police report with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, during the probe the man provided details on how he met the scammer. He told police that he was visiting Sin City and was playing Blackjack in the casino until 5am when he was approached by the woman, as per court documents. Surveillance footage showed Meleschi first approaching the man in the casino before the two walked to the hotel elevators together. When the man woke up alone in the hotel room and saw his pricey belongings had disappeared that is when he realized he had been swindled. The glitzy Las Vegas Boulevard strip During the investigation, police found the pawn shop Meleschi went to and found the gold necklace, she reportedly sold for $11,600 - more than half of what he had paid, but the Rolex and cash were still missing. Meleschi has prior arrests for prostitution and trespassing, police said. She is scheduled to appear in court on August 8. She could face a prison sentence, if convicted. LVMPD told Casino.org the theft Meleschi used on her victim is called a 'trick roll,' which is commonly used to describe when a sex worker steals items of value or cash from a client. Trick rolls are frequently reported and often take place at hotels, police said. Last September, a visitor at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, who just won the jackpot, woke up to find that two women stole $120K in cash and his $20K Rolex watch, as per the news outlet. The Bellagio is one of the most iconic hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. It is considered one of the top casinos in the world, and is known for its fountain show. The Department for Work and Pensions no longer expects benefits fraud to return to pre-Covid levels due to an 'increasing propensity' for deceit across British society. In the department's latest annual report and accounts, DWP officials were revealed to have assumed there will be a 5 per cent increase in fraud each year. Some 9.7billion of taxpayers' cash was overpaid in benefits - due to fraud and error - during 2023-24, which accounted for 3.7 per cent of total benefit expenditure. This compared to 8.3billion and 3.6 per cent in 2022-23, as the rate of benefit overpayments continued to remain well above pre-pandemic levels. DWP has repeatedly promised to boost counter-fraud action in the wake of the Covid crisis, which saw a surge in both the number of benefit claims and rate of fraud. But, in their annual report, officials were revealed to have defended a failure to bring down levels of welfare fraud so far by pointing to a wider problem in society. They highlighted a 'long-term increasing trend in levels of fraud against organisations', a 'notable uptick in shoplifting', and 'softened' attitudes toward benefits fiddling. Campaigners said taxpayers would be left 'reeling' by the 'remarkable revelation' that Whitehall officials 'are now accepting increased fraud as a given'. The Department for Work and Pensions no longer expects benefits fraud to return to pre-Covid levels due to an 'increasing propensity' for deceit across British society Some 9.7billion of taxpayers' cash was overpaid in benefits - due to fraud and error - during 2023-24, which accounted for 3.7 per cent of total benefit expenditure DWP officials highlighted a 'notable uptick in shoplifting' as part of an 'increasing propensity' for deceit across British society They also said there was evidence of 'softened' attitudes toward benefits fiddling in recent years 'With benefit spending at 266.1billion in 2023-24, the welfare system is a deliberate target for both organised crime groups and opportunistic individuals,' the DWP annual report said. 'A range of evidence indicates that there is a long-term rising trend in fraudulent behaviour towards organisations and a softening of attitudes regarding fraud in wider society. 'While there may be fluctuations in data over time, the overall trends appear to continue upwards. 'Although direct comparisons to trends outside of the welfare system are difficult and need to be treated with caution, the evidence outlined here is sufficiently comparable to assume that these trends are likely to be mirrored in the benefit system. 'This increases the scale of the challenge faced in preventing and detecting fraud.' The report implies that the annual amount lost to criminals will rise above 10billion within the next decade. Fraud database Cifas indicates that offences have increased by 11 per cent in each of the last two years, meaning there is every chance the ballooning fraud bill will continue to grow. Fraud database Cifas indicates that offences have increased by 11 per cent in each of the last two years, meaning there is every chance the ballooning fraud bill will continue to grow (stock image) According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, more than a quarter believe it is 'not wrong' or only 'a bit wrong' if a person on unemployment benefits fails to declare 3,000 of cash earnings from a casual job. As well as hiring more staff, the DWP said it is 'developing the use of machine learning, a form of AI to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud activities'. An attached report by National Audit Office chief Gareth Davies, who is responsible for auditing DWP's accounts, revealed how the department no long expects benefits fraud to return to pre-Covid levels. Mr Davies wrote: 'The forecasts shows that DWP no longer expects Universal Credit fraud and error to return to the levels seen before the significant increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, which it says is due to an increasing propensity for fraud in society. A DWP spokesman added: 'This government will not tolerate fraud or waste anywhere in public services, including in the social security system' (stock image) 'DWP has assumed a 5 per cent increase in fraudulent behaviour each year in its forecasting. 'It told us it cannot directly use its fraud and error statistics to assess whether this is an accurate assumption for the increase in propensity to commit fraud, but in its performance report has performed a variance analysis of the statistics against the forecast.' Elliot Keck, head of campaigns at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers will be reeling from the remarkable revelation that officials are now accepting increased fraud as a given. 'This should be a wake-up call to the political class and the public that the social fabric is fraying at an alarming rate, despite the cost to taxpayers and the country looking increasingly unsustainable. 'The new Labour Government should be putting this vital issue right on the top of its in-tray.' A DWP spokesman added: 'This government will not tolerate fraud or waste anywhere in public services, including in the social security system. 'We are determined to reduce fraud and error and are currently exploring all options on how best to achieve our goal.' The deadly Manchester Arena attack in 2017 affected a survivor's life in 'every conceivable way', the High Court has heard at the start of a harassment trial against a conspiracy theorist who claims the bombing was a 'hoax' that utilised 'crisis actors.' Bombing survivors Martin and Eve Hibbert are suing conspiracist Richard Hall for harassment and data protection at the London court. The father and daughter were at the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017 and suffered life-changing injuries, with Mr Hibbert left with a spinal cord injury and Miss Hibbert facing severe brain damage. Mr Hall, however, has claimed that the attack, in which Islamic extremist Salman Abedi detonated a home-made backpack bomb in the crowd of concert-goers, was faked by government agencies with 'crisis actors' used. Mr Hall is being sued over several videos and a book in which he has made claims that the bombing was a 'hoax', as well as 'secretly filming' Eve and her mother at their house. Bombing survivors Martin and Eve Hibbert (pictured) suffered life-changing injuries, with Mr Hibbert left with a spinal cord injury and Miss Hibbert facing severe brain damage Conspiracist Richard Hall (pictured) allegedly harassed the victims at their home The world was shocked by the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 In a video shared online, Mr Hall demonstrated setting up a camera disguised in fake plant foliage which he planned to use to film Eve, now 21, to see whether she could walk. He later claimed he left 'a camera rolling' in his van which was 'parked in a public place'. Mr Hall acknowledged in his video that Eve left the house in a wheelchair but added there was 'no evidence' her injury was from the bombing. Defending the outrageous claims, lawyers for Mr Hall said his actions were 'pursued for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime' and that he has deleted the footage from outside the home. On Monday, Mr Hibbert and Mr Hall appeared at the High Court for the first day of the trial, with around 20 members of the public watching the proceedings across two courtrooms. Jonathan Price, for the Hibberts, said the pair were some of the closest to Abedi when he detonated the bomb and that the attack changed Mr Hibbert's life 'in every conceivable way'. CCTV image of Salman Abedi at Victoria Station making his way to the Manchester Arena The victims were (top row, from left) Elaine McIver, 43, Saffie-Rose Roussos, 8, Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, Eilidh MacLeod, 14, (second row, from left) Nell Jones, 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, Megan Hurley, 15, Georgina Callander, 18, (third row, from left), Chloe Rutherford, 17, Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, and Philip Tron, 32, (fourth row, from left) John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Kelly Brewster, 32, Angelika Klis, 39, (fifth row, from left) Marcin Klis, 42, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 43 (fifth row, from left) Wendy Fawell, 50 and Jane Tweddle, 51 Richard Hall outside the High Court, central London in January 2024 Martin Hibbert was forced to use a wheelchair following the attack 'They have both suffered life-changing injuries from which they will never recover,' the barrister said. The court heard that Mr Hibbert received 22 wounds from shrapnel, and Miss Hibbert suffered a 'catastrophic brain injury' after a bolt from the bomb struck her in the head - leading to her being presumed dead at the scene. Mr Price added: 'Martin, paralysed, saw Eve lying next to him with a hole in her head and assumed he was watching her die, unable to help. He saw others lying dead or injured around him.' He continued: 'Mr Hall does not accept any of this. His theory is that it is an elaborate hoax.' 'He doggedly adheres to the assertion that this attack did not happen and that we are all being fooled,' Mr Price later said. The barrister said Mr Hall has claimed Mr Hibbert is lying, and that Miss Hibbert was disabled before the bombing. Martin Hibbert was paralysed during the Manchester bombings Mr Hibbert was left paralysed from the waist down after shielding his daughter He continued: 'Mr Hall says her parents are invoking their daughter's catastrophic disability as part of a huge fraud on the general public.' Paul Oakley, for Mr Hall, said his client is 'entirely entitled' to have his views, which were formed after he 'scoured the public domain'. He told the court: 'My client is perfectly entitled to hold his views and he is willing to amend them if he is made aware of evidence to the contrary.' In written submissions, Mr Oakley said Mr Hall and his beliefs have the right to freedom of expression. He said: 'However unpleasant Mr Hall's published views are considered to be, they are protected.' Mr Hibbert had made a 'positive choice' to co-operate with the media concerning the attack, the barrister later said. 'As such, it is Mr Hibbert who has come to the 'harassment' and not the converse.' The court was later told that, while there was one incident of filming, this was from a public highway and the footage was never published. Mr Oakley continued: 'It is submitted that this single incident would not be sufficient to found an action.' The trial before Mrs Justice Steyn is due to conclude on Thursday with a decision expected in writing at a later date. Talk show host Montel Williams may have briefly dated Kamala Harris but that does not mean she can rely on his support. As news circulated that President Joe Biden was standing aside and endorsing his vice president, Williams weighed in on social media declaring that he was ready to campaign. But not for her necessarily. Instead he said he was ready to get behind Wes Moore, governor of Maryland and someone seen as a future presidential candidate or 2024 VP pick. 'I'd love to see Wes Moore leading the ticket or otherwise on my ballot and Im ready to campaign,' he posted on X. 'I've watched Wes Moore lead my home state of Maryland, and I know leadership when I see it.' Talk Show Host Montel Williams, daughter Ashley Williams and Kamala Harris attending the Eighth Annual Race to Erase Multiple Sclerosis on May 18, 2001, in Century City Moore is a rising star of the Democratic Party, and he was only the third black man ever elected governor. But his comments quickly raised eyebrows given than Williams briefly dated Harris more than 20 years ago. A string of further posts followed. 'Is anyone surprised I am interested in a politician who also went to the Naval Academy and whose leadership has impressed me?' he said, after reposting Moore's endorsement of the vice president. And when his comments were picked up the celebrity channel TMZ he offered a clarification, saying he was ready to back whoever was the party nominee. He was clearly ready for scrutiny even before old pictures of him with Harris resurfaced. He used a post to discourage journalists from asking him about Harris. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is a rising star of the Democratic Party Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at the White House on Monday morning for an event with college athletes. She used the occasion to pay tribute to President Joe Biden 'I've said what Im going to say about the thing that keeps trending,' he wrote. 'My friends in the media should think twice about wasting time on a 20+ year old picture - you will find doing so will earn an unpleasant reaction.' Harris is in pole position to assume the party nomination after Biden announced on Sunday that he would not seek reelection. He endorsed Harris as his successor, and she has quickly consolidated her position with support among lawmakers and state parties. JD Vance spoke to supporters in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, Monday Sen. J.D. Vance held his first solo campaign event Monday after being selected as Donald Trump's running mate and slammed elite Democrats for they way they catapulted Kamala Harris into the running for president. He returned to his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, where he showed off the attack-dog style that won over Trump. He accused Harris of lying about Biden's fitness for the job as he sought to portray his party as the party of democracy. 'The idea of selecting the Democrat party's nominee because George Soros and Barack Obama and a couple of elite Democrats got in a smoke filled room and decided to throw Joe Biden overboard.... That is not how it works,' he said. 'That is a threat to democracy ...not the Republican Party, which is fighting for democracy every single day.' J.D. Vance holds his first solo campaign event after becoming Donald Trump's running mate in Middletown, Ohio, where he went after Kamala Harris Harris has been anointed successor to Joe Biden by party leaders and power players ever since the president stunned the world by announcing he would not seek reelection on Sunday. The move offers a gift to the Trump campaign which has been repeatedly attacked by Biden for imperiling American democracy. Trump and his allies have been able to accuse his opponents of staging a party coup. Vance, 39, portrayed Harris as entitled and arrogant, and said he was disappointed he would now be unlikely to go up against her in the vice presidential debate. 'I was told I was going to get to debate Kamala Harris and now President Trump's going to get to debate her,' he said. 'I'm kind of pissed off about that.' The Trump campaign plans to make the most of Vance's tough upbringing in Ohio and deploy him in the Rust Belt states that are central to the Democrats' path to the White House. He echoed Republican attack lines and adverts that painted Harris as enabler of Biden, when he was in decline. 'Kamala Harris lied about it. My Senate Democratic colleagues lied about it, the media lied about it,' he told the crowd. 'Every single person who saw Joe Biden knew that he wasnt capable of doing the job.' Vance took the stage with his wife Usha, a driving force in his political awakening Supporters wait in line outside of Republican vice presidential nominee, U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) rally at Middletown High School in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio He said he and Trump were grateful for the chance to serve. 'If you want to lead this country, you should feel grateful for it. You should feel a sense of gratitude,' he said. 'And I never hear that gratitude come through when I listen to Kamala Harris.' Vance was named as Trump's running mate last week and appeared alongside the former president at the Republican convention and a rally in Grand Rapids at the weekend. He took the stage on Monday with his wife Usha. And he quickly demonstrated that he has picked up some Trumpisms. Trump's running mate Sen. J.D. Vance warmed up the crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan, ahead of the former president as they made their first rally appearance together 'It is so good to be back home for once, isn't it?' he said. 'We have an amazing crowd here. 'We had hundreds of people outside that couldn't even get in.' Trump frequently exaggerates the size of his audiences and frequently claims thousands of people are stuck outside rally venues (as he did on Saturday). Vance's attack on Harris shows how quickly he has had to pivot after Biden announced he was dropping out. 'President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever's at the top of the Democrat ticket,' he posted on X Sunday. 'Bring it on.' Assange had from 2010 until last month been a wanted man for espionage Julian Assange has been spotted enjoying family time on the beach in his native Australia just four weeks after the WikiLeaks founder was freed to return home. The controversial figure had until last month been a wanted man for espionage - a charge held against him since 2010 - after WikiLeaks released thousands of classified US military documents. He was also wanted on unrelated rape charges in Sweden, but finally saw freedom after a plea deal with American prosecutors paved the way for him to return home without fear of arrest after 14 years as a wanted criminal suspect. In a photograph released on Monday, Assange looked to be relaxed and in rude health, alongside his wife Stella and their children Gabriel and Max, on a family outing to the beach. Assange wore a casual light blue coloured top and jeans, accessorised by a dark-coloured fedora and backpack on his shoulders, while his wife opted for a warming metallic gilet in the moderate winter temperatures of the Southern hemisphere. Adapting to his new life as a free man, Assange has now been free for just one month following a deal in which he plead guilty to a single felony charge after the US dropped 17 other espionage charges against him. Enjoying freedom: Julian Assange poses with his wife Stella and their children Gabriel and Max Assange admitted to his role in the conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act and was sentenced to time already served at Belmarsh prison in south-east London. On 26 June, he walked free from a US federal court on the Pacific island of Saipan without probation or supervision, but was told he is banned from ever entering the US again without permission from American authorities. Judge Ramona V Manglona told Assange after wrapping up the case: 'With that... Mr Assange it's apparently an early happy birthday to you. I hope you will start your new life in a positive manner.' Shortly before her husband had landed in Canberra, Mrs Assange had revealed that he wants to swim in the ocean every day and teach their children to catch crabs now that he is back in Australia. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange kisses his wife Stella Assange as he arrived in Canberra, Australia, on June 26, 2024 Photos from the airport showed the pair hugging and kissing, with Assange wrapping his wife in a tight embrace and lifting her in the air Mr Assange met his lawyer wife Stella, 40, during his captivity and he secretly fathered two children with her In an interview with The Project before her husband touched down in Canberra, Mrs Assange was quizzed about what his first words to her were. 'That he missed me and he couldn't wait to see me later tonight and all the things that we're going to do over the next few days, weeks,' Ms Assange told the program. Ms Assange said she 'cried happy tears' when her husband was released without probation or supervision from a US federal court on Saipan. Speaking from Australia, Mrs Assange added: 'It is hard to believe that Julian has been in prison for so long. 'It had become normalised. I am grateful to the people who made this possible but I am also angry that it ever came to this. 'Overall I am elated but I cannot believe it is actually happening until I see Julian.' However not all were delighted with Assange's release. James Clapper, the former head of US intelligence, was quick to slam the celebrations surrounding Assange's release and called the Australian 'no hero.' Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today show, Clapper called Assange's actions wrong and illegal. He went on to say that US assets in Afghanistan were likely killed due to WikiLeaks revealing their identities in government documents. Stella Assange (pictured before her husband landed in Australia) said she 'cried happy tears' when her husband was released without probation or supervision from a US federal court on the Pacific island of Saipan Assange raised a fist in the air as he waved at the crowd at Canberra Airport President Joe Biden's decision to reach a plea deal with Assange was also slammed as a 'miscarriage of justice' by former vice president Mike Pence. Pence wrote on X: 'Julian Assange endangered the lives of our troops in a time of war and should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 'The Biden administration's plea deal with Assange is a miscarriage of justice and dishonors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families. 'There should be no plea deals to avoid prison for anyone that endangers the security of our military or the national security of the United States. Ever.' Ms Robinson also shared a photo with Assange on the plane enroute to Saipan on X Assange's saga began in 2012, as authorities circled him for that and over 'credible and reliable' sex crime allegations from a woman in Sweden. He fled into London's Ecuadorian embassy where he remained for seven years in often farcical circumstances. Ecuador eventually tired of him being there, revoked his asylum, and kicked him out in 2019 - leading to his immediate arrest and imprisonment in the UK while he fought extradition to the US. Assange's lawyers said outside court after the hearing that WikiLeaks would continue and 'Mr Assange, I have no doubt, will be a continuing force for freedom of speech and transparency in government'. They said Assange would give no comment but instead they said on his behalf: 'Mr Assange is grateful for all of the support that he has received and looks forward to reuniting with his wife and his children and getting back home to Australia.' The release from Belmarsh - where he has spent five years, largely in solitary confinement, fighting extradition - came days ahead of his 53rd birthday on July 3. Assange had been detained in one of the UK's most high-security prisons since April 2019. He is pictured here in May 2019 Julian Assange (pictured) walked free from a US federal court on the Pacific island of Saipan without probation or supervision, but he is banned from ever entering the US again without permission from American authorities Assange's father John Shipton said he felt 'elated' at hearing the news of his son's dramatic journey from the UK and that his release had 'lifted a huge burden' from his family. Speaking from Australia, he said he hoped his son will spend time 'walking along beaches and listening to birds' in the next few weeks and months. 'Doing cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels that Julian is [returning] home,' he said. Assange's mother, Christine Assange, told Australia's Sky News that she is 'grateful' her son's ordeal is 'finally coming to an end'. She said: 'This shows the importance and power of quiet diplomacy. Many have used my son's situation to push their own agenda, so I am grateful to those unseen, hardworking people who put Julian's welfare first. 'The past 14 years have obviously taken a toll on me as a mother, so I wish to thank you in advance for respecting my privacy.' A top Italian court has overturned the life sentence handed to a nurse who strangled his doctor girlfriend to death during lockdown because a lower court failed to account for 'Covid stress.' Calabrian nurse Antonio De Pace was handed the life sentence after he strangled 27-year-old Lorena Quaranta to death in their home in Favara, in the Sicilian province of Agrigento, in March 2020. Quaranta, who was set to graduate with a degree in medicine that year, met her boyfriend and dated him for three years before moving in with him. The pair had been engaged. The doctor had been suffering from a sore throat for a week, which De Pace was convinced was a symptom of Covid. According to local media, he wanted to return to his home in Calabria but she wanted him to stay and bring her medicine, leading to a vicious fight that ended with her murder. After a suicide attempt, De Pace handed himself in to police, who began investigating and brought a case to Italian prosecutors. Calabrian nurse Antonio De Pace (pictured, right) was handed the life sentence after he strangled 27-year-old Lorena Quaranta (pictured, left) to death in their home Quaranta, who was set to graduate with a degree in medicine that year, met her boyfriend and dated him for three years before moving in with him The doctor had been suffering from a sore throat for a week, which De Pace was convinced was a symptom of Covid Quaranta was strangled to death by her partner in their home Despite his horrific actions, his lawyers claimed in Italy's Supreme Court of Cassation, the country's highest court of appeal, that De Pace suffered from a lapse of judgement caused by stress and fear of the virus. 'It must be considered that the judges of merit have not fully verified whether, given the specificity of the context, it can be attributed, and to what extent, to the defendant for not having effectively attempted to counteract the state of anguish to which he was prey and, in parallel, whether the source of the discomfort, evidently represented by the arrival of the pandemic emergency with all that it has determined in the life of each person and, therefore, also of the protagonists of the story, and, even more, the contingent difficulty of remedying it, constitute factors affecting the measure of criminal liability', the all-male panel wrote. This is despite a psychiatric consultant finding no signs of psychosis, though they found that De Pace had a personality prone to violence, local media reported. Major Italian figures have been in uproar since the court's decision to overturn the sentence. The Democratic Party deputy Michela Di Biase wrote on Facebook that she was 'left speechless', adding: 'The pandemic has been widely ignored for its effects on the mental health of girls and boys but is seen as a mitigator for femicide. 'The news of the decision of the judges of Cassation that annuled the life sentence of Lorena Quaranta's murderer is terrible. A man is suing the San Francisco DAs office after losing his job because of an accidental 'reply-all' email. Jovan Thomas, 56, filed the complaint Friday, six months after the scandalous correspondence in question. In it, the trained victim advocate appeared to ask the married 42-year-old District Attorney Brooke Jenkins 'what color' her panties were, before profusely apologizing in a follow-up seconds later. Both messages were sent to the entire office, with the staffer's full email signature. This suggests he sent the messages from a work laptop, as he replied to a calendar invite for an event memorializing the 1998 torturing and killing of a gay college student. He was fired that day, but now claims that after his employment was terminated, defendants violated his privacy and defamed him by misrepresenting what had happened. A man is suing San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins' office after losing his job because of an accidental 'reply-all' email earlier this year Jovan Thomas, 56, filed the complaint Friday, six months after the correspondence in question, seen here In the Superior Court complaint, attorneys for Thomas wrote how he had been texting with a longtime friend whose father had just died, and intended to cheer him up with the message. It had asked: 'What color panties you have on[?]' 'Hoping to cheer up his friend, who was distraught and grieving the death of his father, [Thomas] intended to text his friend a jokey question of the sort that that plaintiff had sent his friend on occasion in the past,' lawyers explained. '[Thomas's] text to his friend was a whimsical question that was part of plaintiffs standard jocular repertoire with his friend. 'In the context of their long-time friendship, plaintiff's flip question had no sexual, off-color, obscene, misogynistic or sexist meaning or intent. 'Rather, it was a goofy, non-sequitur by one long-time friend to another friend intended to try to divert and cheer him up while he was going through a difficult and upsetting experience. '[Thomas's] text was not an actual inquiry about the color of his friend's panties, as plaintiff was aware that his friend was a straight male who did not wear panties.,' the complaint concluded. 'It was a silly joke intended to cheer up his friend.' The staffer went on to profusely apologizing in a follow-up seconds later, claiming it was an accidental text despite it containing his official email signature But it was not perceived this way, and on January 26, spawned outrage and a swift internal investigation - hinted at by Chief Assistant District Attorney Ana Gonzalez in this final reply to the unfolding disaster But it was not perceived this way, and on January 26, spawned outrage and a swift internal investigation - one that culminated with the Bayview victim advocate's firing. Before that, he frantically told fellow employees he accidentally messaged: 'Good afternoon everyone[.] '[W]hile texting back and forth with my fraternity brother I sent a very inappropriate email. 'The email was meant as a joke... and I sincerely apologize to everyone. '[P]lease know this is not who I am as a person as I carry myself with respect and dignity,' the hastily penned apology went on. 'Please know that I am sincerely sorry and would never do such a thing on purpose.' Later in the day, Chief Assistant District Attorney Ana Gonzalez issued the final reply to the unfolding disaster - instructing staffers to delete the initial email and refrain from spreading it further. 'Dear all,' the new, also re-shared email began. ' We are aware than an inappropriate email was sent out. This matter is being handled by the administration. He is now suing Jenkins, her office, and the city. The city prosecutor is seen here with her husband Daniel. She obtained her law degree from the University of Chicago after studying political science at UC Berkeley Jenkins with husband Daniel and two of their three kids. She has worked in the DA's office since 2014. She assumed the role of interim district attorney following the recall of Chesa Boudin in 2022, after which she was officially elected 'If you have opened the email please delete it, do not forward, copy or other disseminate this email,' Gonzalez continued. 'Please be reminded City issued email is for business purposes only. If you have any questions of concerns please feel free to contact SFDA HR.' Brooke Jenkins, a 42-year-old who assumed the role of interim district attorney after the recall of Chesa Boudin in 2022, herself did not speak on the embarrassment, but a spokesman for the DAs office did, issuing a statement in the following days decrying Thomas's 'misogynistic behavior.' 'This misogynistic behavior violates the offices code of conduct and this individual has been terminated,' the rep wrote. 'The District Attorneys Office is committed to maintaining a professional office environment where all staff members are treated with dignity and respect and not subject to harassment or a hostile work environment.' In turn, Thomas's complaint alleges Jenkins and others made 'false, fraudulent, malicious and humiliating statements' about him to the press . A week later, he said, he was told his termination was for cause. He is seeking a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages as a result. Thomas's complaint alleges Jenkins and others made 'false, fraudulent, malicious and humiliating statements' about him to the press. He is seeking a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages. Jenkins is seen here with new presidential candidate Kamala Harris That said, it's not the first time Thomas is in the news for alleged workplace harassment, having previously been sued in 2018for allegedly sexually harassing a victim he had been assigned to support. At the time, he was accused of taking advantage of a woman sexually after she went through a robbery and gang violence, while, The victim, who went by Jane Doe in court documents, said Thomas 'stroked' her butt and asked her to come to his home, where they went on to drink and have sex. The victim went on to claim Thomas continued calling and texting her and that she feared she wouldn't get victim's services if she turned down his advances. She dropped the case against Thomas in 2019, and a judge dropped the case in 2021 after the city of San Francisco argued it was not on responsible for Thomas's alleged behavior. The basis of their argument? Because it 'was not in the course and scope of his employment.' Jenkins, meanwhile, has worked in the DA's office since 2014. She is married and has three kids with her partner, Daniel. A vulnerable 17 year-old girl who vanished in May got engaged to a 44 year-old stranger she met on the street, police have revealed. Penelope 'Penny' Wise, 17, was found safe on Sunday after she was last seen on May 31 leaving her home in Rockford on her bike. Investigators have since determined that she had met a 44-year-old man from the area the day after she went missing, and then lived at his home until she was found. According to detectives, the man was a complete stranger to the teenager and Wise, who suffered from mental illness, had agreed to marry the man. Police said that Wise had left her home after a 'disagreement' with her parents, she was caught on camera 5 miles from her home later that evening. Penelope 'Penny' Wise, 17, was found safe on Sunday after she was last seen on May 31 leaving her home in Rockford on her bike Her mother Mishael and her father David have since spoken to 13 ON YOUR SIDE, saying it was a relief knowing she was now safe. Mishael told the outlet: 'It's surreal knowing that she's been found. We still haven't been able to lay eyes on her, so I think once we're able to actually see her it will sink in even more. 'We are very relieved that she's been found.' While her father David said that the family were still trying to come to grips with her being found. He said: 'Its still so fresh at this point that we haven't even really been able to come to grips with this is actually happening in a good way. 'We've had months and months of this happening to us, but now all of a sudden, she's been found and it still has a little bit to sink in on its own yet.' Police in Michigan have said that the teenager is in their custody as their investigation continues. It remains unclear what has happened to the 44-year-old. He has not been identified, with the age of consent in Michigan set at 16. Her mother Mishael and her father David have since spoken to 13 ON YOUR SIDE , saying it was a relief knowing she was now safe Police said that Wise had left her home after a 'disagreement' with her parents, she was caught on camera 5 miles from her home later that evening Despite the family having a rule against the use of phones, her parents discovered she had hidden one before she vanished Her parents said that she had left the house briefly before but never for more than a few hours. After she disappeared, a $1,000 reward was offered for anyone who knew of her whereabouts. Five weeks into the case, Kent County Undersheriff Bryan Muir turned to the local community to aid in his search for Wise. He previously said: 'We have 750 plus people at the sheriff's office, but obviously, right here in Kent County alone, we have 680,000 people that can be our eyes and ears for a case like this.' Nearly 1,500 migrants arrived in the UK on 27 boats last week, taking the total number of people making the treacherous journey across the English Channel this year to 15,831. Some 1,499 people made the journey from July 15 to 21, while the French coastguard confirmed two people died amid rescue operations off the northern French coast. It means more than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK on small boats since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister. The maritime prefecture also said that a further 71 migrants were saved in the Channel yesterday, but some travellers on the boat who were not requesting assistance were allowed to continue the journey. They said this decision was made given the risk of 'falling overboard or of injury to people in the event of forced intervention'. British Border Vessels intercepted hundreds of migrants crossing the Channel on Saturday morning, including one group in a suspected stolen yacht Nearly 1,500 migrants arrived in the UK on 27 boats last week, taking the total number of people making the treacherous journey across the English Channel this year to 15,831 Some 114 people arrived yesterday in two boats, according to latest Home Office data, bringing the provisional total for the year so far to 15,831. This is 9 per cent higher than the number recorded this time last year (14,534) and up 3 per cent on the same period in 2022 (15,314), according to PA news agency analysis of Government data. British Border Vessels intercepted hundreds of migrants crossing the Channel on Saturday morning, including one group in a suspected stolen yacht. Two hundred and twenty eight people were brought into the Port of Dover. It comes as human trafficking gangs are now using the small watercrafts to transport people across. The single-masted yacht was seen tied up next to Border Force catamaran Hurricane as it came into the harbour at the Western docks Border Force agents secure the yacht in the port at Dover after guiding it to safety from the sea The yacht used to bring migrants into Dover by the people smuggling gangs in northern France The Labour Government has vowed to tackle people-smuggling gangs orchestrating the crossings by setting up a Border Command Unit and through 'work we'll be carrying out with European partners'. Speaking on July 18, Mr Starmer reacted to the deaths of five people in two incidents in the Channel, saying it was 'a chilling reminder of the human cost of this vile trade.' 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 Republican has deemed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle a 'DEI horror show' as she took attacks from both sides of the aisle on Monday during a Capitol Hill hearing. During questioning from lawmakers, Cheatle offered few straight answers and often hid behind the ongoing Secret Service internal probe. She remained obstinate amid calls to resign from both Republicans and Democrats. 'Ma'am, you are a DEI horror story,' Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Cheatle in one moment. 'I've told my daughter multiple times, my wife and my daughter we talk to her all the time about how she's going to succeed in life. She'll succeed in life by achieving,' he went on. 'Ma'am, you have not achieved today. You let the American public down. If it was up to me you'd be gone.' A Republican has deemed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle a 'DEI horror show' as she took attacks from both sides of the aisle on Monday during a Capitol Hill hearing Democrats immediately cried foul to the attack on diversity, equity and inclusion measures. 'The incident on July 13th has nothing to do with DEI,' Cheatle said afterward under questioning from Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas. Crockett suggested that the shooter had not been deemed suspicious enough to pause the Trump rally because he was a white male. 'As a civil rights lawyer, I have learned so many times and how to deal with law enforcement,' she said. 'There usually is not a perception of a threat if it is a young white male, even if they are carrying a long gun,' Crockett went on. 'A lot of times, at least in this country, when it comes to law enforcement, there is a perceived threat just by somebody having a little bit more melanin with their skin.' 'Republicans are making the argument that hiring women and people of color hindered the response to the shooting,' Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., said, 'to under mine the contributions of women and people of color and it is disgraceful. She accused Republicans of using DEI to 'ignore gun safety measures.' 'Women have been an integral part of the agency since 1971,' Pressley went on. 'To use them as a scapegoat is shameful and it is dangerously divisive.' In another moment Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., alluded to DEI by questioning if Cheatle considered how tall agents were when deciding whether to put them on the former president's detail. In making a point about agents knowing the basics of their protectee, Perry asked Cheatle if she knew how tall Donald Trump is. She replied that he is 'over six feet.' 'So dont you think you should have agents who could lift him up if needed?' Perry went on. At one point an angry Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., asked Cheatle a series of questions which she evaded answering. 'You're not doing well as [Democratic Rep. Jared] Moskowitz informed you,' Greene said. 'You've been sitting here for over three hours, the entire nation is demanding you resign. Things are not going well for you, you need to answer the questions.' 'Was there a stand down order Ms.Cheatle? Was there a conspiracy to kill President Trump?' Greene went on. 'Ma'am, you are a DEI horror story,' Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Cheatle in one moment 'Absolutely not.' Greene then asked for the tik-tok of the day of the moments that led up to the shooting. 'Do you have a timeline at all?' Greene asked. 'I have a timeline but not the specifics,' Cheatle said, to chuckles from onlookers in the hearing room. 'I've told my daughter multiple times, my wife and my daughter we talk to her all the time about how she's going to succeed in life. She'll succeed in life by achieving,' he went on. 'Ma'am, you have not achieved today. You let the American public down. If it was up to me you'd be gone' Cheatle could not answer the number of agents on the ground, how the shooter got on the roof, how many shots were fired, how many casings were recovered, the shooter's motive and other questions from lawmakers. She could not tell lawmakers how many times there had been security breaches of Secret Services protectees or provide a timeline of the day of the shooting and when Secret Service had been made aware of the threat. 'I am completely disgusted by your performance today,' Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., told Cheatle as she suggested the director had perjured herself before the committee. Luna said she would submit Cheatle's testimony for review for perjury charges. A property manager has won a sexual harassment case after her bullying boss bombarded her with texts and suggested they go to his house in Turkey to do 'all the fun stuff'. Frances MacDonald was left in tears and suicidal by Dilawar Khan's around the clock messaging in which he 'berated' her, an employment tribunal heard. Married Mr Khan, 47, made 'inappropriate' offers of dinner and spoke about satisfying his 'sexual needs', it was heard. Mr Khan boasted he was 'surrounded by ladies', that he had a 'very high IQ', and said 'I need sex when I'm stressed'. A tribunal heard his 'badgering, invasiveness and constant berating' became too much for Ms MacDonald and she was left crying and experiencing suicidal thoughts. Property Manager Frances MacDonald was subjected to bullying and derogatory comments by her boss, Dilawar Khan of Alpha Property Management and Services based at this business centre in Thetford, Norfolk She was set to resign when he sacked her. However, she is now in line to receive compensation after a judge ruled she had been harassed by Mr Khan who showed a 'lack of respect' and 'objectified' women. The tribunal heard she applied for a role as a PA and Property Manager at Alpha Property Management and Services - based in Thetford, Norfolk - in February 2021. However, she was told he already had two 'strong' girls but floated the idea of training a project manager - something that would need her 'passion and commitment'. In April 2021 he messaged Ms MacDonald that he was 'Surrounded by ladies and it's hard sometimes' because he was on 'different worlds'. He went on to say: 'Don't get me wrong I love beautiful women but the thinking and logic is very different to men. 'I have a very high IQ, so I'm like 200 miles per hour and my PAs struggle to keep up*Haha*So I have to slow down.' Mr Khan arranged an interview and later texted her with positive feedback that she 'will cope well' with his 'speed'. He then offered to sponsor Ms MacDonald - who was previously in the music industry - to write a 'sexy' song and the team building exercises his teams had been on. 'We will have to go to Turkey together, I have an apartment down south in the blue lagoons and we can do all the fun stuff,' he wrote, accompanied with a tongue out emoji. Giving evidence, Ms MacDonald said the messages were of a sexual nature and she was 'extremely uncomfortable' but wasn't sure how to respond as she wanted the job. Ms MacDonald said she was left distressed and with suicidal thoughts after she was subjected to harrasment by her boss She was offered the job at the end of April and in a later discussion said, 'I need sex when I'm stressed' and that his wife sometimes 'couldn't cope'. She told the panel she felt 'disgusted' by the exchange of messages but compelled to respond in a 'light-hearted manner', because she didn't yet have a contract. Ms MacDonald told the panel she didn't think the suggestion of dinner had been a joke and that he only said it was to deflect from the fact that his invitation was 'inappropriate'. After more messages, he said he was 'a man of action' and didn't like 'winging women'. In May 2021 Ms MacDonald signed her contract and started working, but he continued to message her in the evenings, saying 'women are so good at excuses that I get bored'. The panel heard throughout her first week he sent demanding messages outside of her contracted hours. He was also 'not happy' she had another part-time job giving singing lessons and 'frequently' expressed how much he hated that his previous PA had taken on too much outside work. After being criticised for 30 minutes, Ms MacDonald messaged him to say his treatment of had 'reduced her to tears'. The panel heard upon receiving the message he 'dropped everything' to come into the office to 'train' her more, but then 'berated' her later that day for not checking her phone and handling last minute bookings. The following week he compared her to his old PA again, which got worse. Ms MacDonald said 'the badgering, invasiveness, constant berating and putting me down increased'. As a result, her mental health declined 'sharply' - she couldn't sleep, was crying, experiencing migraines and suicidal thoughts. The panel heard she 'dreaded' taking calls from Mr Khan but knew she would be berated if she didn't answer the phone. After breaking down in tears again, her family advised her to contact ACAS. Mr Khan continued to message her despite her telling him she was unwell. She checked her messages to find he had dismissed her the previous evening, but was already planning to resign due to 'bullying, derogatory comments and harassment'. When she brought this up, Mr Khan said the claims were 'baseless', that he would sue for defamation and that she was 'messing with the wrong person'. The tribunal, held at Bury St Edmunds County Court in Suffolk, ruled Mr Khan's messages were 'abusive, threatening, bullying and exhortative' The tribunal, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, ruled his messages were 'abusive, threatening, bullying and exhortative'. The tribunal panel concluded Ms MacDonald had been harassed related to sex when Mr Khan asked if she children before offering her the job. The panel also ruled in her favour on claims of sexual harassment. They concluded: 'We accept [Ms MacDonald]'s evidence that many of Mr Khan's messages were unwanted, which she considered humiliating and degrading but to which she felt she had to respond quickly and in a light-hearted manner in order to convince him give her the job. 'We consider that in effect she was walking a tightrope, wanting to demonstrate her energy and enthusiasm for the job, while at the same time trying to deflect what appeared to be, amongst other things, invitations from [Mr Khan] to have dinner with him and stay with him in his apartment in Turkey and 'do all the fun stuff', as well as direct references to his sexual needs..' The panel said Mr Khan's messages indicated 'a lack of respect towards and objectification of women'. She also won a claim of wrongful dismissal. A remedy hearing will take place at a later date to decide her compensation. White House staff got a pep talk on Monday morning, 20 hours after President Joe Biden dramatically dropped out of the presidential race, but it failed to acknowledge their frustrations with learning the news alongside the American public. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients held a six-minute phone call with staff, which one White House official described as 'rah rah' in nature. Zients praised the administration's accomplishments thus far and told staff there was still work to be done, according to a recording obtained by DailyMail.com. But he didn't acknowledge that staff wasn't given a heads up on Biden's decision. Biden pulled the plug on his 2024 reelection bid Sunday with an announcement on X, blindsiding most White House aides and his campaign staff. On the call, Zients is heard telling White House aides that Sunday was a 'momentous day' and that the Biden administration would be remembered 'as one of the effective, consequential presidencies in American history.' He said that beyond what the 81-year-old leader said on social media Sunday, Biden's message to staff was that there was more work to be done. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients gave staff a pep talk to the entire White House staff during a 10 a.m. call Monday, 20 hours after President Joe Biden dramatically dropped out of the presidential race President Joe Biden was last seen publicly Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19. He's isolating at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 'Every time I meet with the president, and particularly in the last 24 hours, he always emphasized how much more work we have to do to finish the job,' Zients said. Biden has been recovering from COVID-19 at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home since testing positive while on the campaign trail in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Only a handful of senior staff had been alerted in advance of Sunday's announcement - that Biden would leave the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place as Democratic nominee. Zients made clear that it was an official White House call, which meant he was barred from talking about the campaign due to the Hatch Act. 'The White House counsel said if there's one thing I couldn't talk about and that was the next POTUS - president of the United States - whoever she may be,' Zients teased. 'I can say the president has made clear where he stands on their future and I'll let him speak for himself and I'll simply thank Vice President Harris for her extraordinary leadership for three and a half years,' the chief of staff added. One aide told DailyMail.com late Sunday afternoon that they felt 'relieved.' 'Most people on staff feel a mix of relief, gratefulness, hope,' the source said. President Joe Biden shared this letter to social media Sunday, which was how the bulk of his White House and campaign staff found out about his decision to pull the plug on his 2024 reelection bid Staffers seen at the White House on Monday seemed resigned to the whole situation. Zients reiterated several times throughout the call that White House staff needed to remain a team. 'So we need to do what this team does so well, which is execute and get stuff done,' he said at one point. 'It's important that we stay close as a team to get that done.' At another point in the call he said, 'And I just love, love, love the teamwork.' 'Everyone's head down, locked arms, getting work done and having each other's back,' Zients said. He encouraged aides to 'really focus on extraordinary execution across the next six months on behalf of the American people' As he said they needed to 'run though this together and finish this job.' Missing British trainee barrister Ben Ross who vanished on the island of Majorca 12 days ago has been found alive. The 26-year-old went missing on July 10 in the capital of Palma after moving there in June to take a break from his law studies. Days before his disappearance the Manchester native had his mobile phone and wallet stolen in a beach robbery, with his mother Felix Robinson desperately trying to alert police about his disappearance. She flew out to the island over the weekend to help with the search for her son, and tonight revealed that Ben has been found alive. 'I'm so incredibly grateful for all the help and support we've received,' she said. 'Everyone has been truly incredible. We are so relieved to have found him and are now focused on getting him back to full health and home safe and well.' Ben (pictured) had sent a final email to his mother saying how he was unable to access his bank accounts because they were security protected via his mobile phone Ben Ross, pictured here with his mother Felix, went missing in Majorca on July 10 after a series of unfortunate events The 26-year-old, pictured here with his mother, vanished several days after his phone and wallet were stolen in a robbery Ben went to Palma to visit a friend and take a break from his law studies in June, but after picking up a temporary job decided to stay for the summer. However, on July 6 his phone, keys and wallet were stolen while he took a swim in the sea, then he fell out with his flatmates shortly before he was last seen on July 10. They were angry when he broke into the flat after coming home late from reporting the robbery and threatened to evict him. In a final email to his mother Ben, who has struggled with his mental health previously, said he was unable to access his bank accounts because they were security protected via his mobile phone. The message added that he 'wasn't interested in what happened next,' which left her extremely worried for his safety. Mrs Robinson claimed she rang her local police, in Wigan and Leigh, at least twice a day from July 13 to report Ben missing. When no one called her back, she walked into her local police station on July 17 and refused to leave until an officer had taken a statement. She also made a formal complaint, which she claims was closed without any contact from GMP. A spokesman for the force said: 'All details have been passed to Spanish authorities via Interpol referral form which the informant is aware of. 'If the missing person re-enters the UK it will flag up and we will be made aware.' The trainee barrister had initially planned to visit a friend in Palma, Majorca, and later decided to extend his stay. Pictured: A stock photo of Palma de Mallorca Ben shared a picture on his social media showing he visited the Colosseum in Rome in March The trainee barrister (pictured), from Wigan, Greater Manchester, had his phone, keys and wallet stolen at a beach while he took a swim in the sea on July 6 and then fell out with his flatmates shortly before he was last seen Ben's mother's friends set up a GoFundMe page to help pay her travel and accommodation costs while on the island Ben shared a photograph on his Instagram page on June 24 in Mallorca with the caption 'Grateful' On Thursday Spanish Police said a Homicide Unit had been put in charge of the search, as is practice in Spain even when there is no evidence to suggest someone has been killed. Prior to being found, Mrs Robinson said she was 'going out of my mind with worry' and was visiting places on the island where Ben had been staying. She flew out to Majorca on Saturday after being granted an emergency passport after misplacing her previous documents. Mrs Robinson told MailOnline yesterday: 'I just want to find him, see he's okay and give him the biggest hug. 'I've started the search myself. I'm going to everywhere that's open today. Churches, the docks, anywhere that's open. If anyone has any information please let the authorities know.' A GoFundMe was set up by friends to help fund her last-minute trip to the island and search for her son. But in an update on the fundraising page this afternoon, family friend Carla Speight wrote: 'Ben has been FOUND!' 'Today Ben was at the British Consulate in Palma Majorca and met with Felix who is incredibly relieved at the sight of her son and being able to hug him.' 'For now, Felix and her family are requesting some privacy whilst they get Ben back to full strength and home, and they want to extend their thanks to the press, media and public for all their support in finding him. 'They now have the task of arranging an emergency passport alongside making sure he is well enough to fly home following treatment for dehydration and exhaustion. 'Donations to the GoFundMe that was set up by friends will be donated to Andy's Man Club once they arrive home over the next week.' Online influencers have helped bring an old-fashioned and dying industry back to life after it was ravaged by the rise of the internet. Millennial and Gen Z influencers are flocking back to travel agents, reviving the industry despite predictions that the internet would make the business obsolete. A staggering 38 percent of travelers under 43 prefer human travel agents over online bookings now, compared to a mere 2 percent of Baby Boomers, according to an IBS Software survey published in December. Natalie Contrera, 35, of West Philadelphia, has jetted off to exotic destinations like Colombia, Belize, and the Dominican Republic - all thanks to her secret weapon. 'I give her a budget. I give her a couple countries I want to go to,' Contrera told The Miami Herald. Natalie Contrera (pictured) has jetted off to exotic destinations like Colombia, Belize, and the Dominican Republic - all thanks to her secret weapon: a travel agent A staggering 38 percent of travelers under 43 prefer human travel agents over online bookings now. Jennifer Byrne (pictured), CEO of The Tropical Travelers, said millennial and the Gen Z generations is they're overwhelmed with the information online Contrera and her partner spend $1,500 and $3,000 per person per trip, she told the outlet. Then, the travel agent organizes an entire trip for them. 'And if things go wrong - that is also what they are there for,' Contrera added. 'Why would I ever plan it myself again?' The trend has been felt by those who work in the industry. 'We are extremely busy,' Pam Draper, owner of Travel with Pam Draper, told the outlet. 'It's amazing really.' Other TikTokers swear by travel agents, with one saying, 'It's my new life hack' Draper, a 47-year veteran of the industry, recalls vividly the dip in sales following the rise of the internet. 'What I'm finding with the millennial and the Gen Z generations is they're overwhelmed with the information online. They don't know what to do with all of it,' said Jennifer Byrne, CEO of The Tropical Travelers. 'The honeymooners that I get, they go, 'I just went crazy online,'' Paul Ferdinand, president of Rainbow Voyages, told the outlet. 'The first thing they say is they went online and couldn't get offline. They just went down the rabbit hole' of vacation research. Other TikTokers swear by travel agents, with one saying, 'It's my new life hack.' 'We are extremely busy,' Pam Draper, owner of Travel with Pam Draper, told the outlet. 'It's amazing really' 'This will not be my last time, this is my life hack,' TikToker Jake Musser told his followers while promoting Fora Travel. Another warned her followers that they could be missing it out if they don't use travel agents while insisting they are not 'relics of the past. ' 'If you're not booking your hotels through a travel agent, you could really be missing out,' Michelle who runs the account LAXtoLuxury said in a video. A police sergeant nicknamed Sausage Fingers who was an 'ambassador for violence against women' has been sacked after wolfwhistling at members of the public. James Endean, an officer with Thames Valley Police for 22 years, was also found to have bragged about his sexual prowess to colleagues and repeatedly referred to the size of his own penis. He was sacked without notice last month after an independent panel found him culpable of gross misconduct. The panel found Endean to have bullied his colleagues and made repeated sexual innuendos and misogynistic comments towards female co-workers and members of the public between early 2022 and March last year. This was despite the officer being made an ethics champion in 2022 and a White Ribbon champion during 'White Ribbon week' a year later, which involved acting as an 'ambassador' for women and girls in ending male violence against them. James Endean, an officer with Thames Valley police for 22 years, was also found to have bragged about his sexual prowess to colleagues and repeatedly referred to the size of his own penis (stock photo not related to the case) He was sacked by Thames Valley Police without notice last month after an independent panel found him culpable of gross misconduct The charity White Ribbon UK said Endean is not a formally registered White Ribbon Champion. Endean, who worked from Reading police station, had more than 12 allegations made against him relating to his behaviour and all but one was proved or proved in part, according to The Times. The panel found Endean made numerous sexual innuendos about the size of his fingers to female colleagues. He once showed them off and said 'these should be on Britain's Got Talent'. This claim was denied by Endean, who said that during the beginning of his career he was given the nickname 'sausage fingers' by colleagues and his comment was a reference to this. However, the panel said he knew this was an innuendo and his comments reflected 'a pattern of him referring to the size of his own penis in the workplace'. Other behaviour included 'rating' female members of the public based on their attractiveness while on night-time patrols and describing what he would do to them sexually. Witnesses said that they heard Endean say a female member of the public was 'asking for it', make inappropriate comments about the public such as 'look at the legs on that' and was heard wolfwhistling at women more than once. In the summary of its decision the panel said Endean's repeated misconduct caused 'reputational harm' for Thames Valley police and could damage public confidence in the police Endean, who was made a sergeant in 2009, was also found to have bullied officers of both genders and humiliated them by his 'spiteful comments and threats'. This included calling one as 'thick as shit' and a 'f***ing idiot' when they made a mistake. Some officers said they tried to avoid working with him. Luke Ponte, who represented Endean, alleged collusion between witnesses to exaggerate claims, but the panel rejected this claim. He explained to the panel that Endean's life was under 'acute strain' in 2022 because of family court proceedings in relation to contact with his daughter. In the summary of its decision the panel said Endean's repeated misconduct caused 'reputational harm' for Thames Valley police and could damage public confidence in the police. It was heard how the findings had significant public interest due to how in recent years male members of the police had behaved towards women. The panel stated this is because misogynistic or sexual comments are likely to deter victims of crime from reporting to the police because they lack trust in the organisation. After the allegations were made against Endean he was moved from Reading to Bracknell and Wokingham where he continued to work in a supervisory role. House Republicans released stunning new footage from atop the roof where Donald Trump's shooter opened fire, showing just how easily accessible the location is. While Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle spent Monday ducking questions from Congress during a hearing about Donald Trump's near assassination at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, some top Republicans were actually investigating the scene of the crime. 'I'm standing at approximately the site where the shooter was,' Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said standing on the roof of the building where 20-year-old Thomas Crooks shot Trump. 'As you can see I am a 70-year-old man and this roof is not a big deal,' he said in an apparent rebuke of Cheatle's excuse that Secret Service agents were not stationed on the building because of its 'slope.' 'So for somebody to tell me that Secret Service couldn't have been here, that's crazy,' he said while filming the vantage point. 'You can see that you've got a clear line to the president. It's not a hard shot.' Florida Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez, 70, posted a video on X Monday showing how getting onto the roof from where Thomas Crooks shot former President Donald Trump is 'no big deal,' noting how someone as old as him could gain access to it Cheatle doubled down on her bizarre excuse for not putting Secret Service agents on the roof where Gimenez was standing during her testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Monday. The director explained agents were not stationed there because the agency generally 'prefers sterile rooftops.' 'When we are providing 'overwatch' whether that be through counter snipers or other technology, [we] prefer to have sterile rooftops,' Cheatle said. Cheatle had initially tried not to answer whether there had been any agent on the roof that day and whether law enforcement had used drones that day to survey the scene, to the groans of committee members. The videos posted by Gimenez is just one of several posted by Republican lawmakers on Monday. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, also posted a video from the roof. 'I'm standing right where the suspect, the sniper, the gunman was,' McCaul said in a video posted on X. 'You can see the tree blocking Secret Service on the rooftop of the first house.' Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said that the shooter Crooks should have never been allowed to get onto the building from where he shot Police personnel standing over the body of the shooter on a rooftop near the Trump rally 'But the second house, see that white roof, that's where the counter sniper team was able to take him out right where I stand,' he says pointing to the buildings situated behind the stage where Trump spoke and where Secret Service agents were stationed. 'But the fact is he never should have been up here in the first place.' 'That is way too close to the president of the United States,' he said decrying how Crooks was able to get such a close shot on the former president. Another video posted by Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., a former Navy SEAL, shows a video from which he claims the Secret Service could have spotted Crooks atop the roof. 'This video was taken from one of the windows the Secret Service had access to, overlooking the entire roof,' Crane wrote accompanying a video posted on X Monday. 'As you can see, they had complete coverage.' 'Makes you wonder how on earth they allowed the shooter to access the roof, let alone crawl up it & fire several shots,' he continued. Secret Service did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiry into whether the agency really did have access to the window in Crane's video. During Monday's hearing, Cheatle could not tell lawmakers how the shooter had gotten onto the roof - and would not reveal how many shots he had fired. This frustrated lawmakers who thought she would have come equipped with answers to questions they thought to be basic. At the time of the shooting, law enforcement agents were inside the building, 147 yards away from where Trump stood, but not on top of it. Cheatle could not answer the number of agents on the ground, how the shooter got on the roof, how many shots were fired, how many casings were recovered, the shooter's motive and other questions from lawmakers. 'You're full of s*** today,' Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. yelled at Cheatle when the Secret Service boss didn't know whether the agency has provided evidence to the committee. 'You're just being completely dishonest.' The South Carolina Republican also ripped into the director for not providing her opening statements in advance of the hearing, though it was published in multiple news outlets hours before she testified. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents after getting shot at the Butler rally The director said 'I have no idea how my statement got out,' to which Mace sternly retorted, 'That's bulls***.' But Cheatle did not just get yelled at by Republicans. 'You cannot go leading a Secret Service agency when there is an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate!' and incredulous Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told Cheatle during his questioning. 'I believe, Director Cheatle, that you should resign. I think there are colleagues on both sides of the aisle that believe that and I hope you'll consider it.' During the interaction, Cheatle quietly fiddled with a writing utensil, maintained a somber expression, occasionally looked down and then back up at the lawmaker addressing her. Evidence that the hearing did not go well for the director, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., joined Comer - the top Republican - to call for Cheatle's resignation concluding the event. Still, Cheatle has repeatedly refused to resign. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., was so fed up with Cheatle's non-answers and misdirection at the eharing that she called for perjury charges to be brought against the Secret Service director. 'It is very frustrating ... that you have been up here basically stonewalling our ability to get answers to the American people.' 'Every single member of Congress does not feel safe with you in charge,' Luna continued. Air travelers are taking bizarre measures to make sure they are adhering to diminishing baggage allowances - as checked luggage prices increase. The attention to detail comes months after most major airlines quietly increased their checked baggage fees in the opening months of 2024. The industry-wide price hike started when Alaska Airlines raised the cost of checking a first bag from $30 to $35 and a second from $40 to $45. Over the next month, JetBlue, American, and United did the same, each raising their fees either $5 or $10. The moves have caused some passengers to get creative, stuffing whatever they can under their seat - which varies from airline to airline. Moreover, planes are getting smaller and smaller each year, at the cost of space for carry-ons. Each carriers has its own limit, and some people are more willing than others to sacrifice certain luxuries in order to save a buck. Self-professed 'travel troubleshooter' Christopher Elliott described some of the strangest things he's seen as a result, in a piece penned for The Seattle Times. Air-travelers are taking bizarre measures to make sure they are adhering to diminishing baggage allowances, one travel expert writes The moves have caused some passengers to get creative, stuffing whatever they can under their seat - which varies from airline to airline. Several airlines' carry-on size requirements are seen here The first involved wheeled luggage, which, in days' past, typically would be checked. But on a recent flight from Los Angeles to Spokane, he said he saw a passenger try to stuff an entire rollaboard - a type of two-wheeled suitcase - under her seat. He said it was because the plane had run out of overhead bin space - something that's become increasingly commonplace amid rising baggage costs. Moreover, some airlines have significantly reduced the size of the bag passengers travelling on their flights can take onboard for free, if not willingly, then by design. That's because aircraft seats have been shrinking for decades, experts have pointed out - as planes become increasingly small and efficient. Elliot wrote of the woman struggling with her unwieldy wheeled carry-on: 'Her plan might have worked, except that - you guessed it - there was no place for her legs. 'A flight attendant intervened and forced her to gate-check the bag,' he revealed. Other objects being stuffed under seats with only so much space, according to Elliot, include coolers - usually typical for beachgoers, not frequent flyers. Overhead bin space has thus become a sort of commodity - meaning the space under seats has become the next most viable option. Moreover, planes are getting smaller each year, at the cost of space for carry-ons But on a flight from Buenos Aires to Madrid, he said a woman by the name of Maya Frost saw the unthinkable - a cooler being jammed under the seat next to her by a man on board. The box was so big, the Seattle author told Elliot, 'that it had to be wedged' in the confined space. Once stuffed underneath, the plastic contained nearly 'caused the seat to bulge upward,' she said - spurring the somewhat spread-thin traveler to come to a realization. Seeing that there would be no room for his feet on the 13-hour flight, the man eventually found room for it in the overhead bin, Elliot wrote. Frost told him how he went on to make the most of his situation by accessing the cooler several times during the long flight, potato chips and egg salad sandwiches and all. 'By the time we landed, I was covered with crumbs,' Frost joked. Other objects being stuffed under seats with only so much space include coolers, according to Elliot, - typically a carry-on for beachgoers, not frequent flyers Another uncommon item being shoved into the crevices of plane cabins are CPAC machines - the hefty devices used to help treat sleep apnea. Complete with a console, control system, hose, and mask to go over a user's nose and mouth, the machines are extremely expensive, and large as well. Uneaka Daniels brought one on a flight from Saint Kitts in the Caribbean to Florida recently, according to Elliot. She decided to bring it aboard due to the machine's outsized cost, and fears it would get damaged if checked. 'The machine cost $1,600, and my insurance was not going to replace it if it got damaged on the plane,' Daniels told The Times. She instead placed the item under her seat, but like the man who had been next to Frost, found herself with no room for her legs. However, the reading specialist from Hamilton, Bermuda, elected for a different approach - flying the whole way with her legs atop the machine. She went on to admit that this method is likely not very safe, before calling attention to some of the problems that may arise as flyers like her try to forgo checking bags whenever possible. 'How could they evacuate a plane?' she wondered aloud, insisting to onlookers that carry-on bags stuffed under - and in front - of a seat could prove fatal. Another uncommon item being shoved into the crevices of plane cabins are CPAC machines - the hefty devices used to help treat sleep apnea. One in use - not on a plane - is seen here Elliot, however, cleverly pointed out that medical devices are exempt from the carry-on restrictions, so you can ask a flight attendant to help you store the device somewhere safe, instead of using it as an ottoman. He also stated that electronics like laptops and fragile items like glassware are a big no-no when it comes to under-seat storage - before offering an embarrassing anecdote of the strangest thing he himself stored there. 'I once tried to store a large Starbucks Americano under my seat temporarily while I was boarding,' the travel writer admitted. 'Then I forgot about it. Lets just say it was a memorable takeoff. My shoes still smell like espresso.' The outcome of the general election was a heavy blow for the SNP but for now it remains in office and, nominally at least, in power. Its loss of 38 seats on July 4 signalled a haemorrhaging of support for the Nationalists, leaving their separatist project on life support. But the bleak reality is that in the meantime were still saddled with them - and will be, probably, until the next Holyrood election in May 2026. Nearly two years of SNP rule lie ahead with nothing to suggest they will be any improvement on the previous 17 indeed, all the indications are that we can expect even more chaos and ineptitude. Scotland is stuck in a toxic limbo with no immediate prospect of an end in sight, with plenty of scope for further damage to our public services under the dead hand of a governing party running on empty. Public opinion has turned against John Swinney's SNP, which suffered huge losses at the recent General Election There was much for Unionists to celebrate a few weeks ago when the SNP was punished for its long track record of failure. But the sting in the tail is that this crowd - a government in name only - arent going anywhere until 2026, barring an unforeseen turn of events. Yet we simply cant afford to waste any more time on their destructive constitutional games. No one can seriously expect them to drop the doomed push for a second referendum - or to stop banging on about a cause that was comprehensively rejected by a majority of Scots a decade ago. The rhetoric might be dialled down but what remains of their support base wouldnt allow them to dump the crusade entirely a move that would raise awkward questions about what precisely the SNP stood for, if not breaking apart the UK. There are about 4,000 hits for independence on the Scottish Government website - but, tellingly, only 3,500 for economic growth. This is a party that plotted independence while reassuring the public that it would focus solely on saving lives, then embarked on a cull of ministerial WhatsApp messages, hampering the work of future inquiries. That didnt stop Baroness Hallett delivering a broadside last week against the SNPs threadbare pandemic planning, and highlighting the role played by John Swinney - who was in charge of the resilience function of the Scottish Government while serving as Deputy First Minister. Now the man who masterminded part of the botched response to the worst public health emergency in living memory is in the top job, and insisting that lessons will be learned a familiar mantra that most Scots will struggle to take seriously. Entrusting this dysfunctional bunch with planning for disaster is a reckless act - given that it has presided over so many avoidable fiascos of its own creation. Mr Swinney cannot escape Nicola Sturgeons legacy one he helped to shape while shes under investigation as part of Operation Branchform, the long-running police fraud probe focusing on the SNPs finances. The partys former chief executive Peter Murrell Ms Sturgeons husband has been charged in connection with alleged embezzlement of SNP funds. The rout of the SNP on July 4 left Mr Swinney in a precarious position leadership had been foisted on him after Humza Yousafs resignation, but he ran a lamentable campaign. Hes carrying the can for past blunders but he was implicated in many of them, making it impossible to see him as anything other than a caretaker marking time until his forced retirement from the front line of politics. In the meantime, government is more or less rudderless, with a lame-duck leader clinging on by his fingertips and prioritising his own short-term survival over the business of running the country always something of an afterthought for the SNP. The Cabinet is an assortment of proven duds, no-hopers and placemen, drawn from a shallow talent pool and plainly out of their depth. As weve reported over the past few days, a classroom indiscipline crisis is spiralling out of control and headteachers are rebelling against soft-touch restorative practices championed by the SNP and the liberal hand-wringers who have turned our education system into a laughing-stock. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, a former teacher, has no plan to tackle it or the problem of mass truancy, which means a lost generation of young Scots have been badly let down, with many of them likely to drift towards the dole queue. One in three Scots children were deemed to be persistent absentees after missing 10 per cent or more of the school year in 2023 and one million school days were missed because of unexplained absences. Those who do turn up have to suffer at the hands of bullies and disruptive kids who assault them or their teachers - and are then allowed back into class days or even hours later. Kate Forbes, Mr Swinneys deputy, has toed the line possibly biding her time for another tilt at the leadership but for all her welcome talk of growth she is still wedded to independence, and as Finance Secretary she drove a high-tax, low-growth agenda which continues today. Fiona Hyslop, the Transport Secretary, has had remarkably little to say about the SNPs nationalisation of ScotRail, which has embarked on another round of reduced timetables and slashed services as rail unions threaten industrial action. Justice Secretary Angela Constance gave the green light for the early release of more than 500 criminals from crowded jails, and is now planning for long-term prisoners to be released after serving two-thirds of their sentences. The police service is so cash-strapped that it has effectively given up on probing minor crimes - while paying some of its officers to take part in Pride marches. Neil Gray has failed to bring an iota of vision or energy to his vital health brief - despite waiting lists reaching a record high of 840,000. He replaced arrogant Michael Matheson, who tried to take taxpayers for a ride over his eye-watering 11,000 iPad bill. The SNP hierarchy strained every sinew to keep him in post until he quit in February ahead of a damning report on the debacle. Mr Swinney cannot escape the legacy of his predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon Mr Swinney disgraced himself by attacking the cross-party parliamentary committee which imposed a suspension and financial penalty on the former Health Secretary. Tribalism was placed ahead of propriety, not for the first time, contributing to the SNPs appalling performance at the ballot box earlier this month. We shouldnt underestimate the scope for more scandal in the run-up to May 7, 2026, when the next Holyrood poll is scheduled to take place. For now, we have a non-government, with no semblance of a plan for growth, which until recently was in partnership with the Marxists of the Green Party. As a fresh bout of civil war rages after the general election result, its clear the SNP has no idea how to run itself - let alone Scotland. This is a zombie administration shuffling towards its inevitable day of reckoning - and it cant come soon enough. A flood of support poured in for Russell Findlay yesterday after he announced his bid to become the next Scottish Conservative leader. The west Scotland MSP was backed by a wide range of supporters, including a shadow UK minister, a prominent party donor, three more MSPs, councillors, former election candidates and grassroots members. He is already backed by six of the other 30 Scottish Tory MSPs just 24 hours after launching his campaign - and this is expected to rise to around one-third of the MSP group within days. It further strengthens the former journalists bid to succeed Douglas Ross, and Mr Findlay has already been installed as bookmakers favourite. It follows a positive and upbeat article announcing his candidacy in yesterdays Mail, where he pledged to stand for aspirational conservatism, and insisted the Scottish Tories can change Scotland for the better and even become a party of government in the future. Russell Findlay has already won widespread support for his bid to succeed Douglas Ross as Scottish Conservative leader Leading the support was West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Andrew Bowie, the UK shadow minister for veterans, who said in an article in todays Mail that Mr Findlay is what we need as we look to dislodge the SNP from power and move Scotland forward. He also set out strong criticism to any bid Murdo Fraser or other rebel MSPs to consider separating the Scottish Tories from the UK party. Mr Bowie said: I believe we will effectively take the fight to Labour at Westminster and set out a compelling, new vision for an alternative government at Holyrood. I believe we can only do this from within our wider UK Conservative Party. And I believe we do this with Russell Findlay as our leader. Tess White, MSP for the North East and Scottish Tory health spokesman, Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, and Lothian MSP Sue Webber have also confirmed they are supporting him. This is in addition to three other members of Mr Rosss frontbench who have already pledged support: Rachael Hamilton, Miles Briggs and Douglas Lumsden. Supporters of Mr Findlay highlighted that his support already comes from MSPs from across the length and breadth of Scotland - and it is understood the number could rise to around a third of the 31 Tory MSPs within days. In a further boost, care home entrepreneur Robert Kilgour, who was one of the financial backers to Mr Frasers 2011 leadership bid which focused on setting up a separate centre-right party, pledged his support and said Mr Findlay would be a breath of fresh air. He said: I am proud to support him in his ambitions and aspirations for the Scottish party to focus more on providing positive solutions to improve peoples everyday lives. Russell is a straightforward, straight talking, straight shooting, no nonsense politician with both courage and character - just what we need in Scotland just now. He is a man who seems to possess a clear and positive vision about what our priorities should be. I agree with him that we need to be laser focused on our detailed scrutiny of the current Scottish Governments performance in its main day job - of delivering better public services, without all their recent expensive and unnecessary distractions. I am very confident that Russell is the best person to take the party forward and I look forward to supporting him in any way I can in his leadership campaign. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Andrew Bowie is backing Mr Findlay's leadership bid A long line of councillors, party activists and former election candidates also announced their support. Mr Findlay said: Ive been blown away by the groundswell of support from colleagues, members, activists and even people outwith the party who have not voted Conservative before. Im hugely grateful to everyone who supports my campaign to change our party for the better and build the positive policy platform that we need to succeed. This is not just my campaign, its a campaign for everyone who wants a stronger Scottish Conservative party that can achieve the results we need to lead the change that is coming to Scotland in the next Holyrood election. Together, I believe we can build a movement that champions aspiration, ambition and opportunity. 'If we work together towards that goal, we can start to turn the tide against the left-wing consensus at Holyrood and replace that old order with a new, positive, common-sense conservative approach. He added: Its an honour to have the backing of a hugely experienced colleague in Andrew Bowie MP along with many other well respected MSPs at this early stage. Scotlands cash-strapped police force has been criticised for spending more than 2million on refurbishing a modern office block - including 34,000 on taps that provide fizzy water. The Dalmarnock building in Glasgow, which opened in 2015, cost 24million but extensive upgrade work has been carried out - with a focus on wellbeing. Part of the redesign led to new taps which are capable of dispensing sparkling water - leading to anger among the rank-and-file, with many officers said to be fizzing mad about the move. Dozens of crumbling or under-used stations are earmarked for closure and sell-off, while officer numbers are at their lowest level since 2008, at a time when crime is rising. Last night David Threadgold, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), representing rank-and-file officers, said the cost of the Dalmarnock work was astronomical. Police Scotland's Dalmarnock building in Glasgow opened in 2015 at a cost 24million He said: Dalmarnock is a relatively new building by the standards of the police service - so it is baffling that millions were spent on remodelling work. There are many other causes that would have benefited from this kind of spending - a lot of cops will be angry that more than 30,000 was spent on taps, which seems a huge sum. We want officers and staff to work in the best possible environment - but the reality is there are many officers based at stations which are in an extremely poor condition. A police source added: A lot of officers are fizzing mad about this. In April, a report by His Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland said its experts had found the police station at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute had water running down the walls. It said: Officers were using buckets to catch the rainwater and placing towels on the windowsills to stop water ingress; and a room set aside for officer wellbeing had wallpaper peeling off the wall as a result of water coming through the roof. This was in stark contrast to our visit to Police Scotlands Dalmarnock building, one of the most modern in the Police Scotland estate, which accommodates amongst other departments specialist units, human resources and the wellbeing team. Although it is a modern, purpose-built facility, there was extensive remodelling taking place to improve it further (to the extent that taps in refreshment areas now provide hot, cold and sparkling water). Now Police Scotland has disclosed that the remodelling at Dalmarnock cost was 2,131,985 - with the taps priced at 34,500. The force said: We installed modern zip taps capable of delivering boiling and chilled water as is standard in modern office accommodation. This cost 34,500. The supplier subsequently provided the ability to carbonate the water at no additional cost to the organisation. Police Scotland said it had inherited a very large and ageing estate, much of which was not fit for purpose, with high maintenance costs and environmental inefficiencies. In December 2023, it announced plans to launch public consultations on proposals to close a number of stations across the country, as part of an estate transformation strategy. Since then, it has started a process of consulting on and disposing of surplus or underutilised buildings, with re-investment planned in a number of locations in our estate. A Police Scotland response to a request by the Mail for the cost of the Dalmarnock work, under freedom of information laws, said: We are aware that across the estate there are buildings of varying age and condition, and not all buildings we inherited from legacy forces are in the right place. We have a dedicated team of estates specialists, including third-party contractors, who together with operational policing colleagues are looking at the long-term vision of the police estate across Scotland. Last year it emerged that staff were being lured back to office working at Dalmarnock with colouring books and pens. Workers can choose from differently coloured pens or pencils, with a choice of books to fill in. There is also a TV, DAB radio, comfortable armchairs, and chill-out areas with blue and yellow padded seating. Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: Hard-working frontline police officers based in run-down building often dont even get a break and can only dream of being able to lounge around in a swanky refurbished office while sipping on fizzy water. SNP cuts to policing budgets are to blame and its time the government in Edinburgh prioritised the needs of officers who also deserve decent facilities and equipment. Last night a Police Scotland spokesman said: One floor at Dalmarnock has been redesigned to improve hybrid working and create an environment with a focus on wellbeing. Work is ongoing across Scotland to create an estate fit for 21st-century policing. Initial efforts to salvage a fishing boat which sank off the coast of Mull have failed amid concerns from environmental campaigners over an oil spill where salmon are being farmed. The Julie Anne landing craft sank 20 meters to the seabed in the Sound of Mull near the Fiunary salmon farm on July 4. Operators Scottish Sea Farms (SSF) has been forced to quarantine thousands of fish and conduct a full-scale examination of the site. They say they are not aware of any harm to the fish, but the salmon will now have to be tested amid concerns over food safety. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) continue to monitor the situation. The Julie Anne, sank in the Sound of Mull on July 4, has still not been removed from the seabed But a spokesman for MCA last night said the inevitable leakage of fuel from the 15-meter vessel, which is understood to have contained five tonnes of diesel that has now been removed, does not currently pose a significant or long-term pollution risk. Campaigners from Abolish Salmon Farming, however, claimed the slick of oil had yesterday grown to a stretch of one kilometre and video footage shows the seepage surrounding the salmon pens, which are believed to contain around half a million fish. Jamie Moyes, head of the campaign group, said: Ive been here for nine days and the slick has been running the whole time. Its continually spewing out. Its like a dual carriageway with two big lanes that run for a kilometre. Ive seen birds swimming through it and I havent seen seals here in a couple of days. I can taste diesel in my mouth, the whole place stinks of it. SSF claim the quarantine of the farmed fish was implemented immediately and temporary floating barriers were installed to contain the toxic leaks and limit the spread. But Mr Moyes said he believed the measures to prevent environmental harm had come too late. SSF said additional environmental mitigation measures were being put in place to contain small seepages of oil on the waters surface as they prepare for another effort to salvage the boat. Its head of health and safety Gerry McCormick said: After extensive planning and preparations that continued well into the weekend, appointed salvors Jifmar attempted to raise the vessel on Sunday afternoon. Despite everyones hard work, that first attempted recovery failed. The salvors are now reviewing and revising the recovery procedure and, once approved to do so by lead agency the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, will resume operations to recover the Julie Anne. The MCA has conducted a number of surveillance flights of the site and said as expected, a small amount of pollution is still being observed. But it stressed volumes are small and dispersing. A spokesman said: This does not currently pose a significant or long-term pollution risk. Given the current flow in the area concerned, small quantities lost from containment are inevitable, which is why oil removal from the wreck has been prioritised. We are aware that the lifting operation planned for Sunday, July 21, did not succeed and that further work is underway by SSF and their salvors to prepare for a second attempt. This is likely to be attempted later this week. The Scottish Government said it understands that all fuel has now been removed from the vessel and that the limited pollution is dispersing and is not considered to pose a significant or long-term pollution risk. Detectives have questioned a woman and raided homes as part of their probe into a scandal hit funeral directors. The 55-year-old woman was yesterday arrested as part of Police Scotlands investigation into A Milne Funeral Directors. And as part of the inquiry, dubbed Operation Koine, officers searched residential properties and seized several relevant items. The undertaker is at the centre of allegations of missing ashes and financial misconduct, with yesterdays arrest the latest development in the operation. Dozens of urns have been returned to distraught family members after the ashes were found at the undertakers in a police search earlier this year. A. Milne Independent Funeral Directors (pictured) is subject to a disciplinary process A Milne Funeral Directors is the focus of Police Scotland's Operation Koine Former customers have also claimed they paid thousands of pounds into funeral finance plans only to discover costs which should have been covered had not been met. One person said she was handed the wrong ashes by the firm when her mother died, and only found out it had been a complete stranger months later when she called the crematorium. Yesterday Police Scotland revealed the latest twist in the operation. Detective Sergeant Kieran Bewick said: This is a very complex investigation which has had a big impact on those affected. I would like to thank the public for their assistance so far. Our inquiries into this sensitive and emotive case remain ongoing and I would encourage anyone with any information on this case to contact us. Police said they yesterday executed search warrants at residential properties in Springburn and Bishopbriggs. A number of items relevant to the inquiry were seized, officers said. As part of the inquiry, dubbed Operation Koine, officers searched residential properties and seized several relevant items. Pictured: Police at the scene in May A police van pictured parked outside the ex-funeral directors in Glasgow in May And as part of Operation Koine a 55-year-old woman was arrested. She has been released pending further inquiries. Detectives launched the probe into A Milne after several families reported concerns over the ashes of loved ones and allegations of financial misconduct. A Milne had two branches. Its Dumbarton office closed in 2023 while the Springburn branch, in Glasgows Balornock Road, closed this year. That office became the centre of an intense police search in May, with detectives spending 12 days at the building. A Mile described itself as an independent, family owned organisation with one online post describing it as a father and daughter business. In May the undertakers were permanently banned from the industrys largest trade body. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) removed it after a probe found allegations not compatible with the industrys code of conduct. Announcing its ruling, it said: The decision, made by the NAFD disciplinary committee following a hearing, stipulated that A Milne Funeral Directors will be permanently excluded from the association with immediate effect. The remains of at least 27 people have been removed from A Milne, with the majority being identified and returned to distraught family members. Some relatives told how they had waited years for them to be returned. Yesterday Mr Bewick urged those with information which can help detectives with the investigation to contact officers. He said: Anyone wishing to get in touch with officers is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 1289 of May 2. A Milne was approached for comment. A US Army veteran-turned-Sasquatch hunter has opened up about his terrifying encounter with 'Bigfoot' while camping along an abandoned forest road. Kelly Stolp, 45, has been searching for a Sasquatch ever since he first heard one screaming in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, four summers ago. Stolp, an avid outdoorsman and electrician from Montana, was camping with his two sons, nephew, fiancee and old Army buddy Mike Palagi in July 2020 when they experienced what he calls 'the founding incident'. He says he was woken up to an 'elevated' yeti-like scream around 3am and the sound of a 'heavy footed' creature running past them. 'It sounded like a washboard sound, like a brat-tat-tat, but it was so guttural,' Stolp told Oregon Live. The next night, around the same time, the experience repeated itself. A US Army veteran-turned-Sasquatch hunter has opened up about his terrifying encounter with 'Bigfoot' while camping along an abandoned forest road. Pictured is 'Bigfoot' as seen in the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin Film, which depicts a suspected Sasquatch that was spotted in Bluff Creek, California Kelly Stolp, 45, has been searching for a Sasquatch ever since he heard one screaming in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, four summers ago Stolp first heard the suspected Sasquatch on July 17, 2020 when the creature's screams woke him. He grabbed his shotgun and yelled to his campmates, but they had finished a bottle of Pendleton whisky and did not immediately wake up. He went outside the tent to investigate, but did not find anything. 'I don't know if I thought Sasquatch,' he recalled. 'I thought fear.' The following night, also around 3am, the creature let out its terrifying scream again, this time waking Stolp and some of his fellow campmates. 'The next night, let's just say I was out of Pendleton,' Palagi, 38, told Oregon Live. 'So, I did hear the croak. It seemed to be elevated, not on a ground level.' Palagi's fiancee, Olivia Corbin, also said she heard the noise. 'It sounded like it ran right past our heads,' she said. 'Very heavy footed. We could feel the ground move as it was running past the tent.' The two Army veterans got out of the tent to scour the area, and Palagi admitted they were 'scared as hell'. 'It's very, very dark, but you could still hear thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. It wasn't a four-legged thing. It was something on two legs,' he told Oregon Live. And then it disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. Stolp said he only confided in his wife and a small circle of close friends about the incident because he didn't want people to think he was crazy. One of his confidantes included Tanner Hoskins, 31, who wanted to get to the bottom of the mysterious experience. In August 2020, they ventured back to the scene of the sighting, but the Bigfoot did not return. Tanner Hoskins, 31, joined his friend Stolp's quest to find the Bigfoot after the eerie 2020 sighting Determined to find out more, Hoskins launched a website called the Pacific Northwest Bigfoot Search to crowdsource more information. 'We started getting reports almost right off the bat,' Hoskins told Oregon Live. A sheriff's deputy reported hearing an identical brat-tat-tat sound near Saddle Mountain in northwest Oregon, while another camper said they saw a hairy two-footed creature outside Vernonia. The website was flooded with more than 100 reports of otherworldly sights and sounds. 'It brought magic back into my life in a way,' Stolp said of the 2020 encounter which sparked their quest. 'Mystery came back, because it didn't exist before that. It's like being a kid again.' Washington, with 713 sightings all-time, leads the way with the most Bigfoot reports, according to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. California was the next most common at 461 and Florida was third at 339. Brazilian actor Thommy Schiavo has died at the age of 39 after falling from a balcony at his second-floor apartment. Schiavo, who was best known for his role in network television soap operas, fell from the property in Cuiaba during the early hours of Saturday, the Mato Grosso Civil Police said. Investigators reviewed surveillance cameras at the property, which showed the moment he was sitting and then went to lie on the floor. After several minutes on the floor, Schiavo stood up but lost his balance and tipped over the railing. The married father-of-one fell about 13 feet to the ground and was found lying face down. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Brazilian soap opera actor Thommy Schiavo died early Saturday morning after he fell from the second-floor balcony of his home Cuiaba, Mato Grosso Thommy Schiavo acted on several soap operas that were produced and aired by Brazilian television network, TV Globo Schiavo had gone out with friends to drink at a neighborhood store before he returned to his two-floor studio apartment. Schiavo was known for demonstrating his acting talents on the Brazilian soap opera circuit. His last acting gig was on the second season of Pantanal, which aired in 2021 on TV Globo. He played the role of Joao Zoinho, a cowboy. According to Brazilian news outlet G1, the production company also relied on Schiavo's familiarity with horses to train actors on the soap opera who didn't know how to ride horses. Brazilian actor Thommy Schiavo is said to died after losing his balanced and falling over the balcony at his home on Saturday Schiavo's father, Horacio Ramos, told TV Fronteira that his son had just finished filming a new soap opera when his friends called his brother-in-law to break the sad news. 'It's a painful moment, it hurts so much that there's no way to explain it,' Ramos said. 'We spoke every day, every day it was 'good morning, good afternoon', he would call me for anything, I would call him for anything. He was such a dear person. Schiavo graduated from theater school in Rio de Janeiro in 2006 before he embarked on his acting career that saw him appear in four TV Globo soap operas, including Alem de Tempo (Beyond Time) and Beleza Pura (Pure Beauty). 'Thommy was a fantastic person, loved by everyone,' Ramos said. 'The people at Globo are all in shock there. He is a very loved person at Globo. He went there and won over the people, with his simple, humble way. Loved by everyone.' Info sharing urged as more U.S. military-related sex crime cases revealed across Japan Xinhua) 10:09, July 22, 2024 TOKYO, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Better information sharing is demanded from the central Japanese government by both the public and local governments, as more previously undisclosed sex crime cases related to U.S. military personnel in the country were revealed in prefectures including Okinawa. A total of 166 cases involving sex crimes by U.S. servicemen and those connected to the U.S. military in Japan have been recorded from 1989 to May this year, according to the National Police Agency (NPA). The cases included 91 instances of nonconsensual intercourse and 75 cases of indecency without consent, Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing the NPA data. Among the cases that occurred in various prefectures, including Aomori, Iwate, Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, and Okinawa, the Okinawa prefectural police recorded 16 cases, while the Metropolitan Police Department in Tokyo had 14. The information about the sexual assault cases, however, was often not communicated to the local governments hosting U.S. military facilities, leading to a lack of awareness at the local level, the newspaper added. An investigation conducted by the newspaper found that in Aomori prefecture, two cases involving soldiers from the U.S. base in Misawa were referred to prosecutors but not made public, with both the prefectural and Misawa city governments reporting that the central government did not notify them of these incidents. Similarly, incidents in Aomori and Kanagawa prefectures were not communicated to local governments, prompting calls for the central government to improve its information-sharing practices. The Japanese government is now coordinating to ensure that information on sex crimes by U.S. military personnel is promptly communicated to local authorities, even if the cases are not publicly disclosed, the newspaper added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) The bodycam footage of Sonya Massey, a black woman from Illinois, getting shot by a white police officer was finally released Monday under the authority of the Sangamon County State's Attorney's office. The release of the video has been delayed at the request of Massey's family, but was published Monday afternoon to the Illinois State Police's YouTube account. It shows deputies arriving on Massey's doorstep in Springfield on July 6, to gather more information and check that her home was secure after she called 911 to report a possible prowler in the area at around 1am. Just about 21 minutes later, Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson is seen on his partner's body cam drawing his weapon. He pointed his 9mm pistol at Massey, 36, who was holding a pot of boiling water in the kitchen. Seconds after telling her to drop that pot, she ducked and said 'I'm sorry,' before Grayson fired three shots, one of which struck her in the face. Massey was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. A deputy's body cam shows Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson on Sonya Massey doorstep on July 6 after she called them to report a prowler Once inside, deputy Sean Grayson started arguing with Massey about a pot of boiling water on the stove and raised his weapon The altercation began when deputies first arrived at Massey's Springfield home, and Grayson noticed there was a pot on the stove - asking his partner to check it out. 'We don't need a fire while we're here,' Grayson said at the time. That seemed to have started an argument between Massey and Grayson, who prosecutors say 'aggressively yelled' at Massey to move it from the stove to the counter. She then appeared to take it off the stove and told Grayson, 'I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.' This is when Grayson pulled out his handgun and said: 'I swear to God I'll shoot you in your f***king face.' Both officers - who at that point had their weapons unholstered - ordered her to drop the pot. She then apologized for what she said and ducked behind the counter. Grayson, who was standing about 10 to 15 feet away in the adjoining living room, then went around the corner of the counter separating the two rooms to regain visual contact with Massey. He tried to tell her to drop the pot, but cut himself off and opened fire. He then yelled: 'I can't take hot boiling water to the f**king face.' Grayson would later go on to call Massey 'f**king crazy,' the body camera footage shows. Grayson is seen peeking around the corner of the counter roughly 30 seconds after first opening fire After Massey was killed, prosecutors said Grayson also discouraged the other deputy from getting his medical kit. 'The other deputy still rendered aid and stayed with Ms. Massey until medical help arrived,' First Assistant State's Attorney Mary Rodgers wrote. She added that Grayson 'at no time attempted to render aid to Ms. Massey.' When police finally arrived, Grayson tried to justify his actions by saying 'she had boiling water and came at me with boiling water. 'She said she was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus and came at me with boiling water.' But the deputy refused to turn on his own body camera until after he had already shot Massey. Massey's family held a funeral for her on Friday, accompanied by civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump On Monday, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul called the newly-released footage 'horrific,' adding that he is offering his 'deepest sympathy to Sonya Massey's family as they relive a moment no family should experience.' 'As the community reacts to the release of the footage, I urge calm as this matter works its way through the criminal justice system,' he urged. The case has garnered international attention, and has led to a number of protests in Springfield, the State Journal-Register reports. Amid the uproar, Sheriff Jack Campbell said that Grayson 'did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards' and his actions 'do not reflect the values and training of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office or law enforcement as a whole.' Grayson had been working at the sheriff's department since May 2023, and had been in law enforcement since August 2020. He has since been fired from the department and was charged with three counts of first degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. Grayson will be held in jail until he faces trial, after a county judge agreed on Thursday that he is a risk to the community, according to News Channel 20. If convicted, Grayson faces life in prison. Sean Grayson faces life in prison if he is convicted of three counts of first degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct Meanwhile, Massey's family held funeral services for her on Friday, where they were accompanied by civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. Crump has represented many the families of many black police shooting victims, including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. His personal injury firm released a statement Monday morning, revealing that the Massey family would be speaking 'with several national leaders on Monday.' 'It is a very disturbing video,' the civil rights attorney said of the body camera fotoage. 'It will shock America's conscience.' 'It is that senseless, that unnecessary, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional.' Crump added that the names Grayson called Massey in the video were 'outrageous on every level' and showed a lack of humanity. Massey's death has sparked massive protests in the city of Springfield Raymond Massey, Sonya's uncle, also spoke at a news conference on Monday and thanked the Illinois State Police for its work on the investigation of the shooting. He also thanked prosecutors for bringing charges against Grayson. He said Sonya 'was a beautiful person' who 'spread love.' President Joe Biden also released a statement calling Massey a 'beloved mother, friend, daughter and young black woman [who] should be alive today. 'Sonya's death at the hands of a responding officer reminds us that all too often black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do not. 'Sonya's family deserves justice,' he added. An Australian woman who was allegedly gang raped in Paris just days before the Olympics opening ceremony had a flight booked home the following day. The distressed 25-year-old woman told police she had been attacked by five men 'of African appearance' after seeking refuge inside a kebab shop just metres from the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret theatre at about 5am on Saturday. The woman, who was described having 'her dress inside out' and carrying her underwear in her hand, also claimed her mobile phone had been stolen. 'Disoriented and unable to speak a word of French', she was taken to Bichat hospital after the owners of the Dounia kebab shop, a late-night Lebanese food restaurant on Boulevard de Clichy, called police for help. The street, famed for its arts and theatre outlets, is also a red light district, with a lap dancing club and a sex shop next to the Lebanese trattoria. The woman, who was reportedly in Paris for the Fete de Musique music festival, told investigators of her horrific ordeal; however, she was reportedly unable to give details on the exact place or circumstances surrounding the attack. Parisian police want to avoid fear being spread among tourists as hundreds of thousands flock to the French capital for the Olympic Games. It has since emerged the alleged assault happened just a day before the young woman was due to fly back to the safety of Australia. She apparently had a flight home booked for Sunday, according to 2GB's Olympics reporter Clinton Maynard, and it is unclear if she is still in France. The 25-year-old Australian woman sought refuge in the Dounia kebab shop (above) on Boulevard de Clichy, a late opening Lebanese food restaurant which according to Tripadvisor has friendly and hospitable staff An Australian woman has reportedly been gang raped in Paris just days before the Olympics Police are now inspecting CCTV footage but say even if she is no longer in France they will try to identify the alleged perpetrators, who 'young and of African appearance'. Paris Prosecutor's Office announced an investigation into the incident was under way. 'The investigation into the charge of gang rape likely to have been committed on the night of July 19 to 20 has been entrusted to the second judicial police district,' Paris Prosecutor's office said. Alliance Paris Police Union said investigators will 'do everything to quickly identify the individuals and bring them to justice'. The incident comes just days before the Olympics is set to begin, and despite Paris launching a major security operation ahead of the event. Armed guards have been spotted patrolling the streets, metal barriers now line the Seine. A huge force of some 45,000 police officers drafted in from 43 countries and 18,000 soldiers will make up the defence system. But alongside human efforts, several aerial units will also be involved in the 'unprecedented' operation, including Rafale fighter jets, AWACS surveillance flights, Reaper surveillance drones and helicopters with expert snipers on board. Some 1,700 members of the British police force are already supporting French officers in Paris and Marseille as well as UK sniffer dogs that have been handpicked by French authorities. Armed guards have been spotted patrolling metal barricades erected near the River Seine in Paris ahead of the start of the Olympics Locals were seen eating at a restaurant behind perimeter fencing in Paris which is being used as the first line of defence Images from Paris today show the city behind rows of metal barriers as locals and tourists dine at restaurants behind perimeter fencing near the River Seine - where the opening ceremony is set to take place on Friday. The four-mile metal barricade was put in place by the Paris Police Prefecture and will remain throughout the Games to prevent and deter any trouble. Dubbed the SILT, or the 'belt of steel' the anti-terrorism fencing is ultimately the first line of defence and were initially erected on July 18. Anyone who wants to enter the protected area will need to scan a QR code to me it into the gated part of the city. All cars are also banned from entering certain zones around some of the event venues with solely emergency vehicles allowed through. Tony Blair was urged by aides to duck prime ministerial television debates with his Tory rival William Hague, according to newly released files. The former politician was advised not to give into opposition demands ahead of the 2001 election, because the format was deemed an 'irrelevance'. Files at the National Archives in Kew show that Mr Blair's advisers did not believe they would influence the outcome of an election. While television debates are now a constant feature of election campaigns, at the time the format wasn't widely embraced in the UK. In January 2001, Mr Blair's parliamentary private secretary Bruce Grocott advised him they were an 'irrelevance' which would have no impact on the outcome. Tony Blair was urged by aides to duck prime ministerial television debates with his Tory rival William Hague, according to newly released files Mr Blair's refusal to engage in a leaders' debate with him infuriated Tory leader Mr Hague Blair was told that the only American example of a TV debate that anyone could remember was the 1960 presidential election when an unshaven Richard Nixon, sweating under the studio lights, was widely seen to have come off second best against a clean-cut John Kennedy Sir Keir Starmer would only agree to two head-to-head television debates during the election campaign this year UK's protest at 'bullying' Israeli troops Tony Blair's government accused Israel of 'excessive force' during a military raid in the West Bank in 2002. Pictured: Blair with Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon Tony Blair's government accused Israel of allowing its troops to run 'out of control' during a major military raid in the West Bank in 2002, newly released files show. British officials accused the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) of 'excessive force' after it lay siege to the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The British ambassador in Tel Aviv told a senior Israeli adviser that the IDF's conduct 'was more worthy of the Russian army than of that of a supposedly civilised country'. US president George Bush complained privately to Mr Blair that the policies of hardline Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon were turning Mr Arafat into a martyr akin to al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. One senior British Army officer said the IDF was 'a second-rate, ill-disciplined, swaggering and bullying force' with troops regularly using 'excessive force' against stone-throwing Palestinian youths. The comments foreshadow concerns expressed by some western allies over current Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement 'The country with the most experience of TV election debates is the United States and the practice shows that they are neither informative, illuminating, entertaining nor in any way significant in determining the election outcome,' he wrote. He said the only American example anyone could remember was the 1960 presidential election when an unshaven Richard Nixon, sweating under the studio lights, was widely seen to have come off second best against a clean-cut John Kennedy. 'Since then everyone has learned the rules, not least remembering to shave, which has ensured that all subsequent encounters have been bland, banal, no-score draws,' Mr Grocott added. Mr Blair's refusal to engage infuriated Tory leader Mr Hague and the Liberal Democrats' Charles Kennedy but, with Labour well ahead in the polls, party strategists saw no reason to agree. In 2010, former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown agreed to a television debate with David Cameron and Nick Clegg. Mr Brown - who was trailing in the polls - still lost the election, with Mr Clegg emerging as the surprise star performer. Sir Keir Starmer would only agree to two head-to-head television debates during the election campaign this year. The files also reveal that Downing Street officials wanted to acquire a permanent prime ministerial battle bus to support Mr Blair on his visits around the country. No10 officials thought it would be cheaper to take the idea of a campaign battle bus and turn it into a permanent feature of political life. One official, Owen Barder, said it could be fitted with secure telecoms, including fax and email, as well as a TV, a video recorder, a photocopier, and space for the prime minister to change clothes. He argued that it could be more efficient than booking hotel rooms at every stop and fitting them with secure communications so staff could work. 'The present arrangement by which a comms engineer from the Cabinet Office sets up secure communications in the overnight hotel is expensive and inflexible,' he wrote. 'Several hotels in the South West have benefited from additional facilities being installed at our expense this week as we changed our plans about where we were staying overnight. In 2010, former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown agreed to a television debate with David Cameron and Nick Clegg Mr Brown - who was trailing in the polls - still lost the election, with Mr Clegg emerging as the surprise star performer The archives reveal No10 officials thought it would be cheaper to take the idea of a campaign battle bus and turn it into a permanent feature of political life. Pictured: Blair with his wife, Cherie in 1997 Elsewhere in the files, US president George Bush (pictured in 2005) complained privately to Mr Blair that the policies of hardline Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon were turning Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat into a martyr akin to al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden 'The day is characterised by frantic rushing to and from the vehicles with heavy bags of portable equipment. 'The amount of equipment we set up at each location adds to the public impression of a travelling circus rather than an efficient and lean machine.' The idea was later abandoned. Tens of thousands of illegal migrants will get asylum in the UK after Yvette Cooper scrapped the Rwanda scheme. The Home Secretary said she would allow officials to process the claims of up to 120,000 people who the last government said would never be allowed to settle here. The Refugee Council said it could result in 70,000 people being granted asylum, but the Conservatives said the figure could be as high as 90,000. Former home secretary James Cleverly accused Ms Cooper of introducing an 'effective amnesty' which would only encourage more people to risk the perilous journey across the Channel. But Ms Cooper told MPs the change in the law would save the taxpayer 7.7 billion in reduced accommodation costs for asylum seekers, adding that only a 'small minority' might ever have been sent to Rwanda. Former home secretary James Cleverly (right) accused Yvette Cooper (left) of introducing an 'effective amnesty' which would only encourage more people to risk the perilous journey across the Channel The Refugee Council said it could result in 70,000 people being granted asylum, but the Conservatives said the figure could be as high as 90,000. Pictured: A group of migrants are brought into Dover on July 9 The Home Secretary said all those who could be safely removed to their home countries would be sent back, with deportation flights starting this week. But thousands are from countries such as Syria and Afghanistan, which are deemed too dangerous to return people to in most cases. Ms Cooper also admitted that the high levels of small-boat crossings were 'likely to persist over the summer'. Official figures show that 2,258 migrants have arrived since Labour took office less than three weeks ago. Mr Cleverly accused Ms Cooper of acting on 'ideological grounds' to scrap the Rwanda scheme, 'removing a deterrent that the National Crime Agency said we needed'. And he mocked the Home Secretary's plan for a new Border Security Command to tackle the smuggling gangs, saying the same function already existed. 'Labour has given an effective amnesty to thousands of asylum seekers who were banned under Conservative plans,' he said. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) said she would allow officials to process the claims of up to 120,000 people who the last government said would never be allowed to settle here Dozens more migrants, who were mainly men, were brought into Dover Harbour on Thursday morning before they were taken ashore for processing A group of people are pictured boarding a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the Channel on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk, in northern France James Cleverly, Ms Cooper's predecessor as home secretary, is pictured with Rwanda's foreign minister Vincent Biruta after signing an agreement in Kigali, Rwanda, in December last year 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 Migrants, some wearing lifejackets, were seen on July 11, 2024 packing onto a beach at Graveslines in Normandy as they sought to sail to the UK 'Labour's plans amount to doing less than the Conservatives were doing when we were in government, merely changing the signs above a few desks in the Home Office with its so-called Border Security Command and returns unit.' Mr Cleverly said Labour's decision to scrap the Rwanda scheme left Britain with no safe third country where people could be removed to. He added: 'Where will the Home Secretary send people who come here from countries like Afghanistan, Iran and Syria? Has she started negotiating returns agreements with the Taliban, the ayatollahs of Iran or Assad in Syria? 'If she is not going to send to Rwanda anyone who arrives here on a small boat, to which local authorities will she send them?' But Ms Cooper savaged the Rwanda scheme as an expensive flop. She said the Tories had spent 700 million on it and had succeeded in sending only four migrants who volunteered to go. She claimed forecasts showed the scheme could eventually cost 10 billion and said she had informed the Rwandan government that it would be halted immediately. Under the terms of last year's Illegal Migration Act, anyone arriving illegally in the UK since March last year has been ineligible to have a claim for asylum processed. It has resulted in a sharp rise in the backlog of cases to an estimated 120,000. Refugee Council research suggests an average asylum grant rate of 62 per cent last year. A similar rate would see more than 70,000 migrants granted asylum. Council chief executive Enver Solomon said Labour had inherited an 'untenable' situation, adding: 'It is vital that care is taken to look at each case on its merits, and not assume that every person from a particular country shouldn't be given protection.' British Army personnel yesterday test-fired for the first time a laser beam capable of destroying targets with 'pinpoint accuracy' - for less than the price of a cup of tea. Troops carried out the test of Raytheon's anti-drone laser weapon from a military vehicle in the latest sign that drone warfare is a growing priority for Western armed forces. The high-energy laser, which is designed to wipe out aerial drones, was fired aboard a British Army Wolfhound armoured vehicle in the Porton Down defence campus in Wiltshire. It comes after scientists have been experimenting with lasers as a cheap alternative to traditional defence systems. The 15-kilowatt laser wiped out targets more than 1km away during the tests. Each shot uses up just 10p worth of energy - or cheaper than making a cup of tea. The high-energy laser, which is designed to wipe out aerial drones, was fired aboard a British Army Wolfhound armoured vehicle in the Porton Down defence campus (pictured) The ground-breaking test saw the laser weapon neutralise targets at distances in excess of 1km Mortar casing showing damage done by 'DragonFire' a British military laser weapon system Military experts say the laser would be a far more affordable way of engaging in war than using missiles and bullets. It is also a timely development against the backdrop of Ukrainian troops on the front line have been running short of ammunition to fight the Russian invaders. Details about the laser trial emerged at the same time as Defence Secretary John Healey announced a 6.5bn partnership to buy a range of new, increasingly sophisticated missiles over the next decade from the British-French defence company MBDA. The deal with MBDA, which manufactures the Storm Shadow missile used by Ukraine, will deliver complex weapons faster and at lower cost, the government said in a statement on Monday. Healey, speaking at a major airshow in Farnborough, told of the importance of taking politics out of national security. Government officials said the technology would help prepare the UK's armed forces for the future 'Where there is important work begun under the previous government, we will take it forward,' he said. 'That is why we are renewing important partnerships with industry and continuing to push technological boundaries. This will drive prosperity and create skilled jobs across the country.' It comes just a week after prime minister Keir Starmer rebuffed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskys request last week to fire Storm Shadow missiles deeper into Russian territory. Mr Zelensky had 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. Labour stepped up its class war on private schools yesterday after the Education Secretary suggested VAT could be applied to school fees as early as January. Independent school groups branded Bridget Phillipson's plans 'needlessly disruptive' and said they could lead to parents having to withdraw their pupils in the middle of the school year. Yesterday she said that ministers will 'move quickly' on the policy, which they say will raise 1.5billion a year to fund 6,500 more state school teachers, and suggested schools 'have had ample time to prepare'. 'Schools should be planning for the introduction of this change, which we first set out in 2021,' she told Times Radio. 'We've been clear about our position on this for some time. We do want to move as quickly as we can.' Initial reports had suggested that VAT would not be applied to fees until September 2025 - the start of the academic year after next. Independent school groups branded Bridget Phillipson's (pictured) plans 'needlessly disruptive' and said they could lead to parents having to withdraw their pupils in the middle of the school year School pupils in Glasgow. Initial reports suggested that VAT would not be applied to fees until September 2025 - the start of the academic year after next (stock image) Rudolf Eliott Lockhart, Chief Executive Officer of The Independent Schools Association, told the Mail: 'Introducing VAT on fees in the middle of the school year would be needlessly disruptive for those families who have already chosen a school for the coming academic year. Parents who cannot afford higher school fees resulting from VAT will have no choice but to withdraw their children mid-year. 'We have asked to discuss the complex range of issues that would be brought by the implementation of VAT on school fees with the Secretary of State. It is essential that the Government speaks with the independent sector before implementing this policy. There are complex issues that require careful consideration to protect vulnerable children from negative impacts, such as pupils with SEND who don't have an EHCP.' Labour's class-war private school raid will be announced in this autumn's budget despite concerns that the added costs could force thousands of children into the state sector. Damian Hinds MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, said last night: 'Labour's education tax policy will be disastrous for pupils across the country. 'They have been warned over and over by countless experts that this policy, fuelled by misguided ideology, will lead to a flood of students leaving the private sector without any plans to accommodate them in state schools. And by moving up the timeline to the middle of the school year, they will only compound this chaos. Damian Hinds (pictured) MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, said last night: 'Labour's education tax policy will be disastrous for pupils across the country' 'Pupils, teachers, and schools across the country will all pay the price for this.' The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has also suggested that the party has overestimated the amount it will raise from the policy. The actual figure, they say, will be between 1.3billion and 1.6billion. Campaigners on behalf of the independent education sector have also called for an end to ministerial 'speculation' on the VAT imposition. Julie Robinson, CEO of the Independent Schools Council, said: 'Families will have made choices about education months before an election was called; they cannot adequately plan for their children's futures based on speculation, uncertainty and the possibility of in-year fee rises. 'There are a number of complex practicalities to consider in implementing the policy, and it needs to be dealt with thoughtfully and carefully to ensure the fewest number of children possible have their education disrupted. 'There is still a need for urgent clarification on what the implications would be for, for example, forces families, faith schools and children with SEND but without an EHCP. The government has said it will engage with key stakeholders on this; we welcome the engagement we have had thus far and look forward to more over the coming weeks and months.' Beccy Barr's former BBC colleagues were left in 'awe' when the TV presenter ditched her career to follow in her fireman father's footsteps, as tributes continue to flood in after her death. The mother-of-one from Lancaster, who previously worked on BBC North West tonight, died today age 46 after a year-and-a-half long battle with incurable abdominal cancer. Her family confirmed on Monday that she had 'passed away peacefully at St John's Hospice in Lancaster'. Beccy had spent 20 years working in journalism - including stings as a financial reporter at CNBC and Bloomberg - but in 2019 announced she would be joining Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. Steph McGovern was amongst those paying tributes to the former presenter this evening. She wrote on social media: 'This is heartbreaking. Beccy was the life and soul of the BBC newsroom. Beccy's career started in print journalism as a reporter for The Blackpool Citizen before she moved to London to join Money Marketing Beccy joined BBC North West Tonight as a presenter and reporter back in 2013 Beccy had spent 20 years working in journalism but in 2019 announced she would be joining Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service 'She always cracked me up with her take on life. Funny, smart and fearless. And then when she left to be a firefighter we were all in awe.' BBC North West Tonight presenter Phil McCann also paid tribute on air, while hosting the evening bulletin. He said: 'I'm very sorry to say that we've got some very sad news to bring you tonight. Our former colleague Beccy Barr has died. 'She was just 46 years old and known and loved by so many of you as well as us. She had a form of abdominal cancer.' He also called her 'incredibly fit' and recalled that staff saw her spend breaks 'doing 5k runs and at the weekend she would compete in triathlons and Ironman competitions'. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's social media account said their team was 'deeply saddened'. 'Beccy was a dedicated and courageous firefighter who served with professionalism and compassion,' the post added on X. 'She was an enthusiastic and warm person who became an inspiration to many.' Labour MP for Lancaster and Wyre, Cat Smith, wrote: 'I'm so sorry to hear this, my heart aches for all those who mourn her. Beccy (pictured) back in the BBC Studio when she worked as a presenter Beccy Barr (pictured) has died after a year-and-a-half long battle with cancer Paying tribute today, Beccy's sister Jennifer Pomphrey said: 'She was a very loved daughter, granddaughter and niece. More than anything she was a wonderful mother to Hannah' 'She made the world a better place because of everything she did with an enthusiasm that few could match. RIP Beccy. So much love to her family right now. X.' Beccy's family made the announcement on 'X' this afternoon. Their statement read: 'I'm sharing the very sad news that Beccy passed away peacefully this morning. 'She spent her last few days at St John's Hospice who provided the most dignified & compassionate care to Beccy & her whole family. Donations to the hospice can be made in Beccy's memory.' Beccy joined the fire service in 2019 because she wanted to 'learn a new trade from scratch'. Her father Roy spent around 20 years in the fire service. She told the BBC at the time: 'I still really love being a journalist but it has been nearly 20 years and I'm ready for a change and a different challenge'. Beccy told her followers on 'X' that she had been diagnosed with incurable cancer at the beginning of 2023. She said at the time; 'Two lessons I've learned from this distinctly sub-optimal experience: 1) Life is wild. 2) People have an utterly astounding and boundless capacity for love, care and friendship.' Paying tribute today, Beccy's sister Jennifer Pomphrey said: 'This morning Beccy passed away peacefully at St John's Hospice in Lancaster. They offered the most dignified and compassionate care for the last few days of her life. She swapped her TV career to become a firefighter in 2019 to follow in her father's footsteps Beccy joined the fire service in 2019 after 20 years in journalism because she wanted to 'learn a new trade from scratch' 'Beccy led an incredible life that I will post about on her account in the near future along with details of her funeral. 'For now, I just want to say that I was incredibly blessed to have such an amazing sister. She was a very loved daughter, granddaughter and niece. More than anything she was a wonderful mother to Hannah. 'If you wish to show your love please send donations to St John's Hospice in Beccy's memory. Please feel free to leave messages, we will read them and take comfort in them but may not reply whilst we take time to be together as a family.' Beccy's career started in print journalism as a reporter for The Blackpool Citizen before she moved to London to join Money Marketing. She also had stints at BBC Radio 5 Live, reporting for BBC Inside Out and Sunday Politics North West. Tributes have flooded in for the firefighter, as social media users paid tribute to an 'inspirational' woman. Beccy pictured in her role as a firefighter at Lancashire Fire and Rescue. She published this photograph when she received Distinctions in all her training assessments BBC Manchester said in a statement: 'We have some sad news to bring you - our former colleague Beccy Barr has died. 'Beccy presented BBC North West Tonight from 2013, before leaving in 2019 to become a firefighter. 'She was diagnosed with incurable cancer in 2023. Our thoughts are with Beccy's family and friends.' Journalist Annabel Tiffin, a presenter at BBC North West said: 'This is such unbelievably sad news. Beccy was a feisty, fearless woman gone far too soon. Condolences to her family.' MP Cat Smith for Lancaster and Wyre said: 'I'm so sorry to hear this, my heart aches for all those who mourn her. 'She made the world a better place because of everything she did with an enthusiasm that few could match. RIP Beccy. So much love to her family right now.' Lee Petts wrote: 'This breaks my heart. I didn't know her that well, I only met her a couple of times, but she was always lovely and looked after me when interviewing me for the BBC Politics Show. She's dealt with her terminal cancer diagnosis like an absolute champ, positive to the end. Cancer is horrid, isn't it? RIP Beccy.' Funeral details are set to be announced in due course. Two Just Stop Oil protesters who threw a tin of Heinz tomato soup over Van Gogh's masterpiece Sunflowers risked causing 'serious damage' to the painting, a court has been told. Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, both 22, threw the liquid at the Dutch artist's painting while it was on display at the National Gallery on October 14, 2022. The pair, who also glued themselves to the wall after the act, damaged the 17th century Italian frame the artwork was housed in, although the 1888 oil-on-canvas painting itself was protected by a glass cover, Southwark Crown Court heard. It meant that the drawing itself, which is worth up to 72.5million and is one of the world's most recognisable pieces of art, luckily went unharmed. On Monday Plummer and Holland appeared in court where they accepted throwing the soup, but denied causing criminal damage to the frame. Two protesters threw tins of Heinz tomato soup over Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers at the National Gallery on October 14, 2022 Anna Holland (left) and Phoebe Plummer (right) deny causing criminal damage to the frame which housed the artwork Francesca Kolar, prosecuting, told jurors: 'At around 11am on 14 October 2022 the defendants attended The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London, purporting to be visitors just like any member of the public visiting the gallery that day. 'In fact, they were at the gallery to protest on behalf of Just Stop Oil. 'You may have heard of Just Stop Oil. It is a well known organisation that undertakes direct action whose aims are - the clue is in the title - to stop oil and gas. 'On 14 October they walked around to gallery 43, which housed one of the most sought after artworks by the visiting public - 'Sunflowers' by Vincent Van Gogh. 'When the coast was relatively clear, they went up to the 'Sunflowers' painting. They took off their jackets to reveal white t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan 'Just Stop Oil'. 'They took two tins of Heinz tomato soup out of bags and simultaneously threw the contents of the tins of tomato soup onto the painting.' 'They kneeled down and began to open tubes of superglue and lathered it over their left hands. They fixed their hands to the wall of the gallery behind them.' 'Targeting one of the most famous paintings in the world in The National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square in the heart of the national capital, the Crown say is a publicity stunt to bring attention to the aims of Just Stop Oil.' 'Whilst this risked serious damage to a priceless painting by one of the greatest artists - Vincent Van Gogh - there was, we say, actual damage to the seventeenth century Italian frame chosen specifically to house this painting by The National Gallery in 1999.' The court was told that the painting was protected by a glass covering, but damage was done to the 17th century Italian wooden frame surrounding it The painting is considered to be a masterpiece and is one of the most recognisable artworks in the world The painting wa done in 1888 by Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh who is pictured here in a self-portrait he created the same year Ms Kolar told the court people were heard saying 'Oh my gosh' as the painting was attacked during the protest which was filmed: 'This is unlikely to be a coincidence, because within minutes the protest had been uploaded onto Just Stop Oil's twitter page. She said the Italian frame was 'a piece of art in itself.' Larry Keith, the Head of Conservation at The National Gallery, said he had been giving a lecture to postgraduate students when he was informed of the incident, and went down to the gallery. 'At the time I entered there appeared to be two people attached to the wall... The painting itself was covered in liquid.' He told the court that the painting was taken from the gallery on a trolley to be examined. 'We weren't sure if the liquid had penetrated the frame and made the picture wet. That would potentially have been very serious.' 'My principal concern was to make sure that the painting itself had not been damaged. 'It was clear that the frame had been affected by the attack. It had changed in terms of its surface.' Ms Kolar asked him if anyone had asked permission from the gallery to stage a protest there. 'I certainly wasn't. I'm not aware that anyone was.' Judge Christopher Hehir quipped: 'I can't imagine that Mr Keith is keen on people throwing soup over paintings.' Plummer, who is representing herself, asked Mr Keith how he felt when he found out that the painting itself had not been damaged. 'I was very relieved', he said. Holland, of Newcastle, and Plummer, of Lambeth, deny damaging property. The trial continues tomorrow. A GP suspended after The Mail on Sunday exposed him as the leader of a banned extremist group has been cleared to return to work. Abdul Wahid, 55, was the leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which called for jihad on the streets of London days after the Hamas terror attack on Israel last October. The extremist chief himself praised the attack as a 'welcome punch on the nose' for Israel. But a week after the march, the MoS uncovered Wahid's identity, revealing how he had been practising as a GP for more than 20 years under his real name, Wahid Asif Shaida. Patients at the suburban surgery in north-west London had no idea of his double life as the UK head of a global extremist group. Abdul Wahid (pictured), 55, was the leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which called for jihad on the streets of London days after the Hamas terror attack on Israel last October The Mail On Sunday front page on October 29 last year uncovered Wahid's identity, revealing how he had been practising as a GP for more than 20 years under his real name, Wahid Asif Shaida The extremist chief himself praised the attack as a 'welcome punch on the nose' for Israel NHS England suspended Wahid and, in January, the then home secretary James Cleverly proscribed Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terror group, making membership punishable with a jail term of up to 14 years. However, an NHS England panel has now cleared him to return to work following an investigation into his alleged conduct. An NHS London spokesman said: 'We take any issues relating to professional conduct seriously and have procedures in place to make sure that individuals are fit to work in the NHS. 'Following a thorough investigation, the evidence regarding Dr Shaida's conduct and practice was considered by an NHS England Panel at an oral hearing on 11 July, in accordance with regulations and published policy. 'No evidence was found that he has had involvement with Hizb ut-Tahrir since the organisation was proscribed. The panel found there was insufficient evidence to warrant removing Dr Shaida from the performers' list, but decided that conditions should be imposed, to manage a safe return to practice, for both staff and patients. Wahid raised 51,981 on the website CrowdJustice to fight his suspension 'Dr Shaida is therefore able to return to practice, subject to those conditions,' which the spokesman described as 'confidential'. A separate probe by the General Medical Council, which regulates doctors, is believed to be ongoing. Wahid raised 51,981 on the website CrowdJustice to fight his suspension. On his fundraising page, he described his past as leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir as 'political activity'. Within hours of the October 7 attacks, Wahid told a podcast that Hamas terrorists were 'brave mujahideen' who gave the enemy 'a very welcome punch on the nose'. Days later, he led marches outside the Egyptian and Turkish embassies in London, where Hizb ut-Tahrir members demanded an invasion to rescue Palestinians. When a speaker shouted, 'What is the solution to liberate people in the concentration camp called Palestine?' they shouted back: 'Jihad! Jihad! Jihad!' Wahid told the crowd: 'Victory is coming and everyone has to choose a side. Whose side are you going to be on?' A GMC spokesman said: 'We are fully aware of the concerns that have been raised regarding Dr Wahid Asif Shaida, and are looking into this. 'We thoroughly investigate concerns that suggest patient safety or the public's confidence in doctors may be at risk and we take action where it is necessary.' President Joe Biden broke his silence over 24 hours after his extraordinary decision to drop out of the 2024 race with a phone call to what has now become Kamala Harris' campaign headquarters. The 81-year-old spoke in a scratchy voice to campaign staffers from COVID isolation at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home and told Harris: 'I'm watching you kid'. He pledged to still be involved in the reelection fight and said he would continue to hit the campaign trail as he interacted on loudspeaker with his staffers who now work for Harris. Biden's comments followed questions of why he hadn't been seen or heard from since he made the bombshell announcement on X Sunday afternoon that he was stepping aside. 'I know yesterday's news is surprising and hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do,' the president said. 'I know it's hard because you poured your heart and soul into me, to help us win this thing, help me get this nomination, help me win the nomination and then go on to win the presidency,' he continued. Already there were signs that the campaign had moved on, with signage that read 'Harris for President,' 'Kamala,' and 'Restore Roe' hung on the walls of the office. Vice President Kamala Harris (left) and second gentleman Doug Emhoff (right) hold hands before a crowd of campaign staffers, after President Joe Biden called in during Harris' visit Monday and say that his decision to bow out of the race was for the best Vice President Kamala Harris visits what had been the headquarters for the Biden-Harris campaign in Wilmington, Delaware on Monday There was one wall in the Delaware office that remained covered in signs with the 'Biden-Harris' logo. As Harris took the podium, she noted how Biden was still on the call. 'We love Joe and Jill,' the vice president said. 'It's mutual,' Biden interjected from the phone line. 'I knew you were still there, you're not going anywhere Joe,' she said laughing. 'I love you Joe,' she added. Harris thanked the campaign staff and announced that current campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillon, would run her campaign. The current Biden-Harris campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez - a former Harris Senate staffer - would also stay on. 'And I know it's been a roller coaster and we're all filled with so many mixed emotions about this,' Harris said. 'I just have to say, I love Joe Biden, I love Joe Biden and I know we all do and we have so many darn good reasons for loving Joe Biden.' 'And I have full faith that this team, is the team, will be the reason we win in November, you all who are here,' the soon-to-be Democratic nominee continued. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at what had been the Biden-Harris campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware on Monday, as she took over the campaign operation as the likely soon-to-be Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris (right) and second gentleman Doug Emhoff (left) arrive in Wilmington, Delaware Monday afternoon to appear before the Biden-Harris campaign staff as the VP takes over the campaign operation President Joe Biden was last seen publicly on Wednesday after contracting COVID-19 and departing Las Vegas for his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home. It was there that he made the decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race and hand the operation over to Harris Harris said she was honored to have the president's endorsement. 'It is my intention to go out and earn this nomination and to win,' she said. So far no other mainstream Democrat appears to be challenging Harris, though self-help guru Marianne Williamson, who ran against Biden in the 2024 primaries, pushed that there should be an open convention when the Democrats meet in Chicago in August. Democratic lawmakers, donors and grassroots supporters have coalesced around Harris, who would be the first woman and woman of color to be elected U.S. president. A spokesperson for the campaign said that the Harris campaign raised $81 million in donations since Biden bowed out and more than 28,000 individuals signed up to volunteer. Biden's campaign staff had been blindsided with the news that he was dropping out of the 2024 race - finding out via the X post Sunday like the rest of the American people. 'No one had a heads up before the tweet posted,' a campaign source told DailyMail.com Sunday. 'Which to me is an insane way to treat the 1,300 people that work for you,' the source added. 'Kamala' signs are seen on display around what had been President Joe Biden's reelection headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. On Monday, Biden called in while Harris was visiting campaign HQ, as she takes over the campign Vice President Kamala Harris (left) kisses her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff (right), before delivering remarks Monday at the Wilmington, Delaware campaign headquarters she was inheriting from President Joe Biden At 5 p.m. Sunday on an all-staff call, O'Malley Dillon assured aides that their jobs would remain. She also acknowledged that it was 'hard for staff who may have gotten the news while they were working or door knocking,' but that it was 'important' that they heard from the president 'in his own words.' Shortly after Biden posted the letter saying he was bowing out of the race he said in a follow-up post on X that he was endorsing Harris to take his place as the Democratic nominee. 'I'm hoping you'll give every bit of your heart and soul that you gave to me to Kamala,' Biden said on loudspeaker Monday. 'And I want you to know, I won't be on the ticket but I'm still going to be fully, fully engaged.' 'I've got six months left of my presidency, I'm determined to get as much done as I possibly can - both foreign policy and domestic policy,' he continued, making mention of 'working for an end to the war in Gaza.' The president added that he would be doing 'whatever Kamala wants me or needs me to do in addition.' 'So let me be real clear. We're still fighting in this fight together. I'm not going anywhere,' the president said. He hasn't been seen publicly since Wednesday since testing positive for COVID-19. It remains unclear when the president plans to return to Washington. Senior Tories tonight welcomed the announcement of a longer leadership contest, saying it would give the party a better chance of bouncing back at the next election. A 'compromise' plan was drawn up by the 1922 committee which will see a new leader announced on November 2. Some in the party had wanted a new leader in place by party conference, which gets underway on September 29. Others had wanted it to run until Christmas to ensure the right candidate was chosen and to give the party the best chance of regaining power at the next election. Nominations for the contest will open in two days, with leadership hopefuls needing the backing of at least ten MPs for the first round of votes. Former PM Rishi Sunak will lead the Conservative Party until a new leader is elected in November. Pictured: Mr Sunak in the House of Commons on Monday Former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick is one of the early frontrunners for the role, with one poll suggesting 55 per cent of members would list him as one of their top choices for leader. Pictured: Mr Jenrick walking out of BBC Studios in London on April 28 The final four nominees will appear in front of the party conference in Birmingham to put forward their pitch, before the decision goes to a postal vote of members. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will remain acting party leader until November 2, when his successor will be crowned. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith: 'A September timetable would have been a complete and total disaster. 'We need to debate what happened at the election. We need to talk about it and we need to let the public know that we get it. 'At the moment I don't think we do. I would have gone through November to Christmas but this is infinitely better than the even shorter contest that was being talked about. 'What we don't want to do is rush to make a decision. We need to make sure everyone gathers around and agrees. Veteran Tory MP Sir David Davis welcomed the decision to hold a long leadership election. Pictured: Sir David leaving the Spectator Magazine Summer Party in London on July 9 'We need to take our time, figure it out and vote for the person who we think can most resolve this and help us get through it.' Veteran Tory MP Sir David Davis said: 'This is certainly better than an instantaneous thing. It gives us a bit of a chance to see the contenders in action. 'It was important not to rush this because there's only one skill that matters, and that's being an Opposition to Labour. If we're not good at that, we'll never be back in government. 'So that's the only thing I care about testing. I don't care about Left, Right - it doesn't matter. I want someone who's good at Opposition.' Mr Sunak said the timetable would aid 'a smooth and orderly transition' that allows the party to 'fulfil its role as the official opposition professionally and effectively'. He added: 'I believe this is what is best for the Conservative Party and, most importantly, our country.' But not all party grandees were happy, with some arguing that a quicker contest would have avoided a potential leadership vacuum for Labour and Reform UK to capitalise on. One senior Tory said: 'A foolish decision which hands Starmer the next election on a plate. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said rushing into a leadership election would be a 'disaster'. Pictured: Sir Iain at the count for his Chingford and Woodford Green seat on July 5 'An act of pure self-indulgence which maximises internal conflict to allow a few media hungry types to blather on the broadcast media for a little longer before fading into irrelevance. Farage will be cock a hoop.' Tonight a poll found that Robert Jenrick is the frontrunner among party members. The former immigration minister, who quit Rishi Sunak's Cabinet in protest at his failure to take a tougher approach to illegal immigration, emerged ahead of Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, Dame Priti Patel and Suella Braverman. Conservative members were asked in a poll to rank their top four choices from a list of candidates who have signalled they will run to be leader. Some 55 per cent of members listed Mr Jenrick as one of their top choices in the survey by polling company Techne. A separate poll by More In Common found that most Tory party members back a longer leadership contest - by 67 per cent to 24 per cent. The executive of the 1922 Committee drew up the leadership timetable plans in consultation with the party's board. Young teenage girls are using Instagram as a tool to advertise their bodies for sex, an investigation has revealed. Police have discovered a disturbing new trend on Instagram where schoolgirls as young as 15 are allegedly selling self-generated child sexual abuse material to paedophiles. A six-month undercover police investigation revealed that teenage users were misusing Instagram bios and stories to advertise sexualised selfies and explicit images of themselves for purchase on private websites. Officers were unable to verify the ages of the account holders, but they estimated that young teenage girls under the age of 16 were offering to carry out degrading sexual acts for a fee in profiles resembling the adult content subscription service platform, OnlyFans. The details emerged today in a legal challenge being brought by a childrens charity alleging that Instagram is complicit in the exploitation of children online. Baroness Beeban Kidron, founder of the 5Rights Foundation has hired law firm Schillings to launch a groundbreaking legal challenge arguing that Instagram is facilitating the sharing of and profiting from illegal child sexual abuse material. Young teenage girls are using Instagram as a tool to advertise their bodies for sex, an investigation has revealed (File image) Police have discovered a disturbing new trend on Instagram where schoolgirls as young as 15 are allegedly selling self-generated child sexual abuse material to paedophiles Baroness Beeban Kidron (pictured) has hired law firm Schillings to launch a groundbreaking legal challenge arguing that Instagram is facilitating the sharing of and profiting from illegal child sexual abuse material It comes after a six-month police probe found accounts acting as a pseudo-OnlyFans page were easy to locate both on and off the Instagram platform which appeared to belong to young teenage girls. Schillings has written to Meta demanding an independent investigation into the alarming findings saying: Evidence obtained by specialist officers in May 2024 illustrates a growing trend amongst predominantly young teenage girls (or those who claim to be) using Instagram as a tool for distributing and profiting from self-generated child sexual abuse material namely that users misuse Instagram bios and stories to advertise child sexual abuse material for purchase. Many of these users advertise the fact that they are selling in the Instagram bio or account name, or both. A simple search for the word selling on the platform provides many results. Baroness Kidron said: These are schoolchildren, girls who are not yet 16, imitating the OnlyFans model of selling pornography and using Instagram to market this.This isnt a victimless crime, it is children selling their bodies for sex. Yesterday the Mail revealed how police uncovered evidence that the social media platform owned by Meta is also being used by paedophiles to advertise AI- generated child abuse material (File image) Police believe it is a phenomenon which will grow exponentially. Yesterday the Mail revealed how police uncovered evidence that the social media platform owned by Meta is also being used by paedophiles to advertise AI- generated child abuse material. Lady Kidron has vowed to explore every possible route for legal and regulatory action to force Meta to tackle the issue. Jenny Afia, Partner at Schillings said: We are proud to support 5Rights groundbreaking legal challenge against Meta. As AI continues to permeate our lives, it is crucial that tech companies comply with their ethical and legal responsibilities towards children. Every day, the need for urgent action grows.' A Meta spokesperson said: 'Child sexual exploitation is horrific and we have clear rules against it. 'We prohibit people from requesting, sharing or selling child exploitation content, including self-generated images, and we use technology to proactively find it, report it to NCMEC in line with applicable law, and support law enforcement in its investigations. 'While we havent yet received any examples from Schillings, we will investigate and take swift action on anything that breaks our rules.' Keir Starmer refused to give any guarantees on the future of Britain's 12 billion Tempest fighter jet programme as speculation swirled over its future today. The prime minister hailed the 'important' project as he visited the Farnborough air show in Hampshire on Monday - where Cabinet members turned out in force. But his enthusiasm for the fighter jet was less voluble than that of Boris Johnson - who said he was 'obsessed' with Tempest when the show was last held two years ago. It came as a defence review launched by the new government raises doubts about whether it can afford to pay for Tempest - or other major projects. The prime minister said: 'It is an important programme and I know that people in the room will want to hear me say that. Keir Starmer (pictured at the Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire today) refused to give any guarantees on the future of Britain's 12 billion Tempest fighter jet programme as speculation swirled over its future But his enthusiasm for the fighter jet was less voluble than that of Boris Johnson - who said he was 'obsessed' with Tempest (design pictured) when the show was last held two years ago The new Tempest jet is armed with hypersonic missiles and Star Wars-style 'energy-directed' weapons. Pictured: A CGI image of the Tempest design 'The defence secretary is holding a ministerial level meeting... in relation to this because of the significant benefits here in this country. 'There is of course a review going on - but it's important for me to put on record just how important a programme this is.' Tempest forms part of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a collaboration between the UK, Italy and Japan with the aim of replacing the Eurofighter Typhoon. The new Tempest jet is armed with hypersonic missiles and Star Wars-style 'energy-directed' weapons. It also has a larger wingspan and is kitted out to help pilots evade enemy radar, providing 10,000 times more data than current systems. BAE has said the programme is already generating more than 3,500 jobs across the country, with estimates suggesting it will contribute 37bn to the UK economy. The aim is to have a 'demonstrator' version in the air by 2027 and the aircraft in service by 2035. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds - one of four Cabinet ministers who turned up at Farnborough in addition to Sir Keir - said the UK was 'very strongly committed' to GCAP. He said the government sees it as 'essential for the future, not just in terms of our defence needs but obviously our industrial needs'. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds (left)- one of four Cabinet ministers who turned up at Farnborough in addition to Sir Keir - said the UK was 'very strongly committed' to GCAP. Pictured: Reynolds with BAE Systems CEO Charles Woodburn at the event today Experts say the Tempest models will revolutionise air-to-air combat, giving Britain a 'world-beating' edge in warfare The jets will take to the skies by next decade to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon (pictured), which has been used by the RAF since 2003 Reynolds added: 'The whole sector is a huge example of the kind of industrial strategy we want to see across a wider percentage of the economy where you have a genuine collaboration between the private sector and government. 'You have a direct link to our trade and export strategy, to our wider economic and industrial strategy.' Reynolds said constituents in his seat in north west England directly benefit through jobs 'so I don't need any convincing as to what the benefits of that can be'. But he made clear that there would be constraints on defence spending - with Labour's pledge that it will be increased to 2.5 per cent of GDP undercut by the fact that it has given no date for that to be achieved. Reynolds said: 'The economy's got to be growing strongly in order to guarantee public expenditure in a range of public services. 'I don't think anyone believes the British economy as it stands today is in a golden position by any measure. Grant Shapps, defence secretary at the time (right), shakes hands with Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto (left) and Japanese defence minister Minoru Kihara (centre) to mark the deal to build the jets together in December Mr Shapps inspects a guard of honour in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday ahead of signing the deal to place GCAP's headquarters in the UK in December The Tempest will be the sixth generation of fighter jet and will work alongside the F-35B on future missions. Pictured is a comparison of the F-35 and the Tempest Inside the Tempest will be a sophisticated artificial intelligence that will be able to communicate with an array of other jets and military units on the ground and at sea - as well as controlling a 'swarm' of drone fighter jets that will fly with a manned aircraft on missions Pictured is an artist impression of the Tempest 'There are some real pressures but the prime minister has always said when it comes to future priorities the commitment to defence spending is first in line.' Herman Claesen, who is leading the project for BAE, told a separate meeting at Farnborough that the project was now 'steaming ahead'. 'We are rapidly homing in now on the final configuration of the aircraft,' he said. Mr Claesen denied there had been any attempt by the government to slow progress, saying there were 'no tow brakes applied'. He added: 'We need to respect the fact that the government has called an SDR [strategic defence review] and wants to look at the priorities and everything that goes with it.' But he noted that the prime minister had come to visit BAE's GCAP stand at Farnborough 'and he reiterated.. that it's a very important programme for the UK'. 'I think the fact he came out here and wanted to see the aircraft and talk to people about it gives another indication that it is a very key important strategic programme to the UK.' An Australian man has been stabbed to death at a tourist hotspot in Thailand following an argument with an American at a restaurant. Liam Michael Ross, 35, was found with stab wounds to his abdomen, leg and arm at Ao Nang Beach in Krabi early Monday morning. He was rushed to hospital but later died as a result of the injuries. Mr Ross's family was being provided with consular assistance, according to a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment,' the spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. Ao Nang Police arrested US national Randall Owen Johnson over the stabbing and he was charged with physically injuring another person causing death. Witnesses reported that both men had been drinking at a nearby restaurant before the incident and reportedly had a disagreement. They reportedly encountered each other again as the Australian man walked back to his hotel, which allegedly led to a confrontation. Ao Nang Police arrested US national Randall Owen Johnson (pictured) over the alleged stabbing Johnson allegedly drew a knife and inflicted several stab wounds on Ross Initially, the two exchanged words, but the situation soon escalated into a physical fight. Johnson, 43, allegedly drew a knife and inflicted several stab wounds on Ross. Photos from the scene showed it happened adjacent to the conch shell sculpture at the southern end of the beachside road, outside the entrance to the Holiday Inn resort. Ao Nang is a popular tourist destination located in the Krabi Province in southern Thailand. It is known for its nightlife and beaches. More than 1,000 prominent lawyers, academics and celebrities have demanded a meeting with the attorney general over the 'injustice' of handing five eco-activists with record sentences. The Just Stop Oil protestors, including co-founder Roger Hallam, were jailed for a combined 21 years over a stunt that disrupted London's M25 motorway for four days in 2022. Prosecutors said the protests, which involved a total 45 activists, caused an economic hit of at least 765,000 and cost the Metropolitan Police more than 1.1million. The mob also caused a staggering 50,000 hours of vehicle delays affecting more than 700,000 vehicles, it was claimed, and left the M25 'compromised' for more than 120 hours. Hallam, 58, received a five-year prison term for organising the stunt, while Daniel Shaw, 38, Lucia Whittaker de Abreu, 35, Louise Lancaster, 58, and Cressida Gethin, 22, were each sentenced to four years for conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. From left to right: Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, Cressida Gethin, Louise Lancaster, Daniel Shaw and Roger Hallam. Hallam was sentenced to five years' imprisonment while the remaining four defendants were each handed four years' imprisonment TV naturalist Chris Packham has written an open letter calling for a meeting with Attorney General Richard Hermer KC. Mr Packham described the sentences as a 'grotesque miscarriage of justice' Dale Vince, the millionaire Labour donor, wrote the letter alongside Packham which has been backed by Coldplay's Chris Martin These sentences, handed down by Judge Christopher Hehir at Southwark Crown Court, surpass those given to JSO members who climbed the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in October 2022. Sir Keir Starmer was urged to intervene last week, and the United Nations human rights commissioner labelled the sentences as 'deeply troubling' and 'disproportionate'. Now Dale Vince, the millionaire Labour donor, and TV naturalist Chris Packham have written an open letter calling for a meeting with Attorney General Richard Hermer KC. Mr Packham described the sentences as a 'grotesque miscarriage of justice'. Notable signatories of the letter, which was shared with The Times, include former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, human rights solicitor Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC and artist Dame Tracey Emin. It was also backed by Coldplay's Chris Martin, author Sir Philip Pullman and director Danny Boyle. The letter argued that with overcrowded prisons, these sentences are 'insanity'. Police watch as traffic is held back as an activist from Just Stop Oil occupies a gantry over the M25 near Godstone in Surrey Environmental Defender Michel Forst (centre) outside Southwark Crown Court with the five Just Stop Oil protesters who have been jailed Other notable signatories of the letter, which was shared with The Times, include former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, director Danny Boyle, and artist Dame Tracey Emin It said that the activists were not allowed to explain their actions to a jury, undermining their right to a fair trial. The activists, it claims, were performing a vital service by raising awareness of the climate crisis. Last week, Judge Hehir blasted the 'fanatic' eco-activists when sentencing. He said: '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.' EXCLUSIVE The family of slain camper Russell Hill face being excluded from providing victim impact statements at a pre-sentence hearing for former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn. While Lynn, 57, was found guilty of murdering Mr Hill's secret lover Carol Clay, a jury found the killer not guilty of murdering him. Victim impact statements are traditionally reserved for those directly impacted by a crime. Last week in the Supreme Court of Victoria, the court heard victim impact statements were likely to take up an entire day of Lynn's planned two-day pre-sentence hearing in September. A source close to Lynn's legal team told Daily Mail Australia Mr Hill's family faced a battle to be heard at court due to the not guilty verdict over his death. 'They could still try and argue that he's the victim of an accidental killing,' the source said. The issue is currently being discussed by Lynn's lawyers with prosecutors, who are understood to be keen to let members of Mr Hill's family speak out against the killer in open court. Lynn's acquittal of the murder of Mr Hill had already devastated his long suffering family, who have sought justice for his death. Greg Lynn hopes to walk free from jail on appeal The split verdict now also threatens to end up in the Supreme Court of Appeal where Lynn's lawyers will fight to have his murder conviction overturned altogether. On Friday, Lynn's barrister Dermot Dann KC revealed he was in the process of compiling submissions calling on Justice Michael Croucher to abort sentencing his client until that appeal was heard. Mr Dann told the court he believed sentencing his client would be made difficult due to what he described as the 'unsafe guilty verdict' delivered by Lynn's jury at trial. The court heard Lynn had been placed in isolation within the Metropolitan Remand Prison for his own safety, but now fears he will be targeted by inmates at whatever prison he ultimately ends up in. Mr Dann said the problem had been compounded since the guilty verdict, as a number of media reports revealed evidence the jury had not been shown. 'It's an extremely rare application to even make,' Mr Dann said. Lynn's barrister Dermot Dann KC (left) is fighting to have his client's conviction overturned on the grounds the verdict was 'unsafe' If granted, the 'stay' of sentence could allow Lynn to apply for bail while his appeal goes through the court. Mr Dann said a successful appeal could result in Lynn being set free altogether, without a re-trial, due to doubts over whether he could obtain a fair trial because of the significant publicity surrounding the case and the murder conviction. 'The chances of a fair re-trial are non-existent,' Mr Dann said. The experienced barrister said any jury pool would have been 'polluted or poisoned' by the 'inadmissible evidence' that has 'flooded' news sites over the weeks since the verdict was delivered. Mr Hill's wife Robyn Hill said she felt numb with worry over the thought Lynn could walk free. 'We all just had this awful feeling a week or so before,' she told 9News. 'I've only had that once before when I had to report Russell missing.' Carol Clay and Russell Hill both died after an ugly encounter with Greg Lynn The shotgun used by Greg Lynn to shoot Carol Clay dead Russell Hill's vehicle and the remains of his tent after Greg Lynn set it on fire Ms Hill said she hoped Lynn would spend at least two decades in jail for his actions. 'I hope he suffers for the rest of his life, really. I hope he has a lovely time in jail,' she said. 'I think he's got off lightly. I'd like him to be in jail for 25 years and then I look at that as half each for Russell and Carol.' The verdict had come as a crushing blow to the Hill family. In a statement released on the day it was delivered, the families of Mr Hill and Ms Clay said they were 'devastated' there was not enough evidence to find Lynn guilty of both deaths. 'The verdict of not guilty in relation to the murder [of] Russell Hill is devastating. There was not enough evidence to be sure of how he died,' they said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Office of Public Prosecutions for comment. READ MORE: What's behind the Microsoft outage? Experts reveal the cause Microsoft Windows devices that are affected are requiring a manual fix The CrowdStrike outage continues to wreak havoc around the globe, four days after the issue first began. Millions of shops, airports, railways and GP surgeries are still experiencing issues thanks to a 'buggy' security update to Falcon, CrowdStrike's antivirus software that protects Microsoft Windows devices from cyberattacks. CrowdStrike whose faulty software update 'bricked' Windows computers says a 'significant number' of the 8.5 million affected devices have been restored. In a post on X (Twitter), it added that it 'continues to focus on restoring all systems as soon as possible'. MailOnline has contacted the company regarding exactly how many constitutes a 'significant number'. CrowdStrike posted the update on X (Twitter), saying it 'continues to focus on restoring all systems as soon as possible' From ticket machines to self-service checkouts and IT systems used by GPs, anything running Windows devices was potentially affected. CrowdStrike's update affected 8.5 million Windows devices or less than one per cent of all Windows machines What is CrowdStrike? The rogue app that brought down computers across the world is ironically aimed at protecting PCs from hackers. Crowdstrike is a security service designed to stop internet breaches for the globe's biggest companies, but is now responsible for perhaps the biggest IT outage we have ever seen. Computer analysts believe a badly-written bit of code in the update triggered the catastrophe and wrecked computer networks worldwide. Crowdstrike has confirmed a faulty update was responsible for sparking the chaos. It said in a statement: 'Crowdstrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Advertisement 'Of the approximately 8.5 million Windows devices that were impacted, a significant number are back online and operational,' CrowdStrike said in the X post. 'Together with customers, we tested a new technique to accelerate impacted system remediation. 'We're in the process of operationalizing an opt-in to this technique. 'We're making progress by the minute. We understand the profound impact this has had on everyone. 'We know our customers, partners and their IT teams are working tirelessly and we're profoundly grateful. 'We apologize for the disruption this has created. 'Our focus is clear: to restore every system as soon as possible.' The chaos started on Friday when computers around the world started repeatedly crashing and displaying the dreaded 'blue screen of death'. From ticket machines to self-service checkouts and IT systems used by GPs, anything running Windows devices was potentially affected. Jamil Ahmed, distinguished engineer at IT firm Solace, explained: 'The reason the outage was so widespread is due to how ubiquitous the Windows operating system is across various industries. 'Airlines use it for check-in desks, retail use it for point-of-sales machines, and more. The outage is due to a 'buggy' security update to Falcon, a type of antivirus software that protects Microsoft Windows devices from cyberattacks. CrowdStrike - the company behind Falcon - is 'actively working with customers' who are affected, but insists it is 'not a security incident or cyberattack' (file photo) In this extraordinary photo, a Windows system at Petco Park, San Diego, California displays the 'blue screen of death' on Friday 'Thankfully this sort of incident is extremely rare with CrowdStrike quickly reacting to retract the update behind the outage.' In its own update on Saturday, Microsoft stressed that 'this was not a Microsoft incident'. It also estimated that CrowdStrike's update affected 8.5 million Windows devices, adding that this is 'less than one per cent of all Windows machines'. 'While the percentage was small, the broad economic and societal impacts reflect the use of CrowdStrike by enterprises that run many critical services,' Microsoft said. CrowdStrike admitted a defect in the 'content update' for its Falcon anti-virus software crashed Microsoft Windows devices. The cybersecurity firm is 'actively working with customers' who are affected, but insists it is 'not a security incident or cyberattack'. A ticket machine at King's Cross Station in central London was showing up as out of service due to the outage that bricked computers Computers around Australia were repeatedly crashing and displaying the 'blue screen of death'. A blue error screen on a register is seen at a departmental store affected by a cyber outage in Brisbane, Australia, July 19, 2024 Passengers wait at Barajas Airport, as Spanish airport operator Aena on Friday reported a computer systems incident at airports causing flight delays CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz has appeared on American TV to issue a groveling apology and vowed to work with each customer to get their operations back online. The grievous error wiped $12.2 billion (9.5 billion) from CrowdStrike's value and $320million (247m) from Mr Kurtz's personal wealth. CrowdStrike creates anti-virus products that regularly update with new definitions of viruses, cyber expert Troy Hunt explained. 'They run in a very privileged space on the PC, which means they have a lot of control,' he told Sky News. 'It looks like they've pushed a bad update, which is presently nuking every machine that takes it. 'It could be quite some time to get those machines back on time.' Andras Cser, principal analyst at IT company Forrester, said recovery options for affected Windows machines are manual. 'Administrators must attach a physical keyboard to each affected system, boot into Safe Mode, remove the compromised CrowdStrike update, and then reboot,' he said. In Australia - among the first to notice the effects of the outage - broadcasters were affected and had to pause transmissions Not in service: British railways warned passengers to expect delays because of the issue well into the weekend This 7-11 store in Australia was forced to close due to the 'global technical error' - taking out payments systems As the collective global loss could top $1 billion, CrowdStrike is expected to reveal more detail about how exactly the issue was able to happen. 'Much like Microsoft, CrowdStrike is too big to fail,' said cybersecurity expert and FBI Counterintelligence operative Eric O'Neill. 'The company is a cybersecurity icon relied upon by the largest market share of cybersecurity customers. 'I suspect CrowdStrike will issue a detailed report explaining how this happened and the steps they will take to prevent it in the future. 'However, companies worldwide are losing millions as IT professionals scramble to manually reboot computers. 'I expect many calls for compensation from CrowdStrike.' Whether it's a cheeky aubergine or a friendly smiley face, emoji now form a staple part of many of our daily conversations. However, experts have revealed that several popular characters have very different meaning in other cultures and countries. From the seemingly innocent 'hotel' to the enigmatic 'sign of the horns', you might be surprised to learn how common emoji are interpreted around the world. Noel Wolf, a linguistic expert at language learning platform Babbel, told MailOnline: 'People can attach all sorts of different second meanings to these little pictures.' So, do you know what these common emoji really mean? Scroll down for the answers! Do you know the hidden meanings of these popular emoji? Check the box at the bottom of the article to find out the answers Sign of the horns If you're a rock fan, then you might be fairly sure you know exactly what the 'horns' hand sign stands for. Although its exact origins are a matter of debate, the gesture has been synonymous with rock and metal since Black Sabbath popularised the sign in the 1970s and 80s. However, in many parts of the world, holding out your index and little finger might carry a very different meaning. Mrs Wolf says: 'In some Mediterranean and Spanish speaking countries, including Italy, Portugal and Mexico, this gesture pointed towards an individual can be taken implying somebody is a cuckold. 'This has linguistic roots as the words in these countries languages for somebody who has been cheated on are linked linguistically to the word for horns, such as the word "cornuto" in Italian.' Although this emoji is more commonly associated with rock and metal, it has a totally different meaning in some parts of the Mediterranean Steam While a cultural misunderstanding can often be embarrassing, some commonly mistaken emoji are actually quite innocent. For example, the pictogram showing red, wavy red lines rising from a circle might seem like a baffling choice. But in Japan, the meaning of this common emoji would be instantly recognisable. This symbol might seem very strange, but for people in Japan this would actually be a symbol they could find on many maps Mrs Wolf says: 'As emoji originate from Japan, where they were invented by Shigetaka Kurita in the late 90s, some of the pictograms represent objects or concepts from Japanese culture.' This strange emoji is actually meant to represent the steam rising off of an 'onsen', a traditional Japanese hot spring bath. In Japan, the symbol is used on maps to indicate the locations of the popular public baths. Swirl This oddly shaped swirly is another emoji which would be very familiar to a Japanese user Another emoji with a distinctly Japanese origin and meaning is the swirling pink and white circle. Although this symbol might not be familiar to many in the West it is actually a meal-time staple for many in Japan. This emoji is meant to represent the narutomaki, a type of fish cake with a distinctive swirled pattern. A popular topping for ramen, this emoji is often used to mean eating or a meal. Love Hotel Although this might seem like a cheery pink hospital, the real meaning of this Japanese emoji is much less innocent However, not all commonly mistaken Japanese emoji have such innocent meanings. A particularly notable example is the bright pink emoji for 'love hotel'. Depending on your device, this emoji will appear as a large pink building with either a heart or the letter 'H' on the front. This has led many to mistakenly believe that this is a symbol for a hospital or means 'get well soon'. However, this symbol actually represents a type of hotel which can be hired by the hour. In Japan, these 'love hotels' are a much more recognisable cultural reference which is missed by many foreign emoji users. Person tipping hand Older users might think this symbolises someone raising their hand to offer assistance, but younger users will know that is not always the case While the meaning of emoji varies from place to place, they can also change dramatically based on the age of their users. For example, the 'person tipping hand' emoji might be more familiar to older users as a sign for an assistant or helpful individual. Mrs Wolf explains: 'Originally designed to represent a person working at an information desk, it was approved as part of the Unicode standard in 2010 with the name "information desk person". ' However, over time the meaning of this emoji has changed through use to become something quite different. Younger tech users would probably be more familiar with the symbol as representing sassiness or sarcasm due to the resemblance of somebody who has just flipped their hair smugly over their shoulder. Tea The symbol for tea might be very familiar to people all around the world, but this emoji actually has a second meaning which first appeared among America's black drag community British readers might be mistaken in thinking there is only one possible way of understanding 'tea'. However, across different cultures and generations, this simple symbol has taken on a totally different meaning. To many people, tea now means 'gossip' or truth as in the phrase 'spill the tea' which can mean to tell open up about a secret or tell the truth. But while the term is now used very widely by many in Gen Z, it actually has its origins in America's black drag queen community. The term is still used in gay culture but thanks to the popularity of shows like Ru Paul's Drag Race the term has spread widely through social media. And, as this new meaning caught on, the humble 'tea' emoji also began to take on the same meaning. Ms Wolf writes: 'Some of the unexpected double meanings that are accelerated on social media might be baffling to older generations who are not up to date with the latest developments on these platforms.' They've laid dormant at hundreds of hidden sites for nearly 75 years, silently protecting Americans. Now the nation's nuclear missiles are about to get a $141 billion upgrade that will enable them to launch counter attacks on adversaries like Russia and China. The plan, called Sentinel, will modernize the US military's 450 silos and construct 3,100 miles of utility corridors and build 62,300-foot communication towers by 2036. The costs could balloon to more than $300 billion after Sentinel is completed, but officials have stated that the plan 'is essential to national security' and 'are no alternatives' that would lower pricing. The Pentagon wants to modernize America's Cold War-era intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and the 450 operational launchers hidden across the nation The DOD has scheduled a Congressional hearing for July 24 that will go over plans to restructure 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) launch facilities and the weapons they house. These silos are scattered across 40,000 square miles of the northern Midwest, specifically throughout North Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska. The silos were constructed in the 1950s to store nuclear-armed missiles that could be quickly launched during the Cold War. But the arsenals and launch facilities have not been updated since. Dr William LaPlante, who served as the DoD lead for the review, said in a July 8 statement: 'Sentinel is a truly historic program to modernize the land leg of the Triad, and its scale, scope, and complexity are something we haven't attempted as a nation in 60 years. 'Having completed a comprehensive and objective assessment of the program, it is clear that the Sentinel program remains essential to US national security and is the best option to meet the needs of our warfighter.' The current state of America's nuclear arsenal remains safe, secure, and effective,' the Pentagon review shared. However, most of the systems are operating beyond their original design life, and there is little or no margin between the end of their effective life and the fielding of their replacements. The billion-dollar upgrades, according to the review, are necessary to ensure there are now gaps in national security as America's adversaries have poured even more money into ensuring their arsenals are up-to-date. The ICBMs are scattered across 40,000 square miles of the northern Midwest, specifically throughout North Dakota, Montana (pictured), Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska These silos are scattered across 40,000 square miles of the northern Midwest, specifically throughout North Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska General David W. Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, said: 'We face an evolving and complex security environment marked by two major nuclear powers that are strategic competitors and potential adversaries. While I have confidence in our legacy systems today, it is imperative that we modernize of our nuclear Triad. A restructured Sentinel program is essential to ensure we remain best postured to address future threats. Sentinel marks the DOD's largest nuclear weapons project since the end of the Cold War when the US built a triad of ICBMs, SLBMs (Submarine-launched ballistic missiles) and heavy bombers - creating an arsenal of 10,000 nuclear warheads. The Air Force is expected to start replacing the existing Minuteman III ICBMs in 2030, and while the DOD believes it will cost $141 billion - an 81 percent increase from their 2020 projections - a 2024 taxpayer analysis claimed the real total cost will likely be closer to $315 billion. The original Minuteman silos were put in place so the US could launch a nuclear attack on Russia or China if the need arose, which would obliterate the entire population but would also serve as a 'nuclear sponge.' The Air Force is expected to start replacing the existing Minuteman III ICBMs in 2030, and while the DOD believes it will cost $141 billion - an 81 percent increase from their 2020 projections The 'nuclear sponge' theory is that ICBMs would destroy hundreds of warheads from an adversary like Russia before the country could launch them at the US. 'When I was on the Armed Services Committee staff in the '80s and '90s, I heard about the sponge,' Joseph Cirincione, a former congressional staffer who worked on military reform for almost a decade, told WIRED. 'It's one of the two chief justifications for the ICBM.' Sentinel's goal is to complicate an adversary's plan to launch an attack on the US to the point that it would discourage the foreign government from attacking. The response comes as China's arsenal is quickly advancing as the country is on track to possess at least 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030 while Russia has the largest nuclear stockpile of 5,580. While the plan is crucial to the survival of Americans, experts have warned that this so-called 'doomsday machine' could kill upwards of 300 million people living around the launch sites. The DOD said in a report earlier this month that 'the Sentinel program is essential to national security' and said there are risks associated with not updating the ballistic missiles. 'If we used the ICBMs it would be the end of human civilization, even without an adversary hitting the US with a single warhead,' said Cirincione. However, speaking about how many deaths the ICBMs could cause, Princeton University's lead researcher Sebastien Philippe told WIRED: 'It's not just absorbing a nuclear attack. 'It's like when you pour water on the sponge, and then you press onto it, it's going to spill everywhere. So spill-out from that sponge is massive radioactive fallout across the country,' he continued. 'We're not talking about having cancer in 15, 20, 30 years. 'We're talking about your cells and organs and your body shutting down in days, weeks, or months after the explosion.' The Air Force revealed in March that nearly 200 missile officers who served at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana which is located near a silo site have been diagnosed with cancer, and at least 23 had non-Hodgkin lymphoma - a blood cancer. Researchers at Princeton University's program on science and global security studied the ramifications of the 'human and environmental risks associated with the Sentinel missile program'. They said there are 'catastrophic risks' associated with deploying ICBMs. The missiles would also generate hazardous waste that could contaminate streams with asbestos, lead-based paint and polychlorinated biphenyls. These chemicals have been linked to liver and kidney damage, cancer and immune and reproductive issues, according to a Princeton University study. Experts have warned that if the nuclear missiles were deployed, about 300 million people would be exposed to radioactive material that would shut down the body's cells and organs within a few months in the aftermath of the explosion Researchers also reported that the US Air Force has found unsafe levels of a possible carcinogen at underground launch control centers in Montana. Many have opposed the government's plans, including Former Secretary of Defense William Perry warned that the ICBMs should be eliminated in a 2016 New York Times op-ed. He called the missiles 'some of the most dangerous weapons in the world,' adding that 'they could even trigger an accidental nuclear war' and described a false alarm he experienced when a computer glitch claimed 200 Soviet nuclear missiles were heading toward the US. The US Air Force released an Environmental Impact Statement in March of last year that claimed land-based missiles and silos 'do not involve nuclear material,' even though each missile will be built carrying a nuclear warhead that has the explosive power equivalent to hundreds of thousand tons of TNT. 'Russia and the United States have already been through one nuclear arms race. We spent trillions of dollars and took incredible risks in a misguided quest for security,' Perry wrote in the op-ed. He added: 'There is only one way to win an arms race: refuse to run.' A Pentagon spokesperson declined DailyMail.com's request for comment on the claims and said 'further information will be made available as the restructuring for the program moves forward.' READ MORE: What's your food waste style? Households fit into three categories With around 9.5 million tonnes of food wasted in the UK alone, there's no doubt we need to get better at eating up our leftovers. Letting good food rot is not only a tragic waste, but is a source of methane a powerful greenhouse gas that causes global warming. Now, scientists in Japan have come up with four tips to reduce the amount of food from your fridge that ends up in the bin. From storing leftovers in transparent containers to even apologizing to your food, here's how to save the edible remnants in your refrigerator. So, would you try them? Scientists in Japan have come up with four tips to reduce the amount of food from your fridge that ends up in the bin 1. TOP TO BOTTOM Often when we open our fridge we're presented with a disorderly chaos of containers, foil wrappers and half-finished jars. Very few of us store items based on age, meaning the remains from last night's dinner are sat next to the veg from last weekend's roast. Kohei Watanabe and Tomoko Okayama, waste management scientists at Teikyo University in Tokyo, suggest a simple rule putting the items that are closest to expiring on the very top shelf. So when we open our fridge we should automatically pick something from the top as these are the items that need eating up sooner. Fresher items, meanwhile, get stored at the bottom, although this system of course requires spending time continually moving items upwards as they get older. If your fridge is a disorderly mess like this, Japanese scientists suggest some tactics to restore order and reduce waste 2. TRANSPARENT CONTAINERS As the old English proverb goes, 'out of sight, out of mind'. And this may be why food stored in opaque containers is so much more likely to be forgotten about, according to the researchers. They advise storing all fridge contents in transparent tubs, as these give us a constant reminder of what's still to be eaten every time we open the door. 'Quite often, the reason food goes bad and gets wasted is because you forget about it in the fridge and find it rotten later,' Watanabe told the BBC. Clear containers also help us quickly identify what needs to be moved up to the top shelf while accounting for foodstuffs that don't spoil quite as rapidly. 'Fermented foods are still alive, so they don't go bad that easily,' Watanabe added. Always using transparent containers means food is less likely to be disregarded, left unnoticed or otherwise forgotten about (file photo) 3. APOLOGISE! Have you ever felt guilty when you've thrown food into the bin? Well, it may not surprise you that there's a Japanese word for the sense of regret that we get when it comes to wasting resources 'Mottainai'. Similar to the English saying 'Waste not, want not', the researchers hope Mottainai can play a part in the fight against food waste. To heighten feelings of Mottainai, they suggest apologizing to our food just before we bin it. By pretending that our food has feelings or even a conscience, we may be less inclined to give it such a undignified end. Watanabe and Okayama gave out special stickers depicting two people with their hands clasped together with the message: 'I cannot eat you. I'm so sorry.' The main applications of compostable plastics include food packaging, bags, cups, plates, cutlery and bio-waste bags (pictured) They encouraged participants to put one of these stickers on every food item they threw away and to take a moment to consider the sticker's message. 4. RED STICKERS Colour-coding tubs in the fridge can also help us pritoritise fridge food that we should turn our attention to first. For example, a helpful traffic light system uses red stickers to denote food that should be eaten urgently, while green stickers are for food with a longer shelf life. Other factors that lead to food waste are poor meal planning and an obsessive tendency to cook new meals every night rather than eat up leftovers. Another big one is impulse buying at the supermarket in other words, purchasing food that we don't actually need. We should also be aware of the difference between 'best before' and 'use by' dates on food products a very important distinction. Even when foods have passed their use by date, if they're low-risk items (such as condiments and cheese) they may still be good to eat, according to Watanabe. 'Smell it, look at it; most things are good for quite a long period after the expiry,' he says. It's worth bearing in mind the official advice from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), however: 'Eating foods past the use-by dates presents a significant risk of foodborne illnesses to consumers.' NASA has captured a dark plasma eruption on the sun that has a 60 percent chance of causing blackouts on Earth this week. The approximately 36,000 degrees-Fahrenheit (F) 'cold' solar flare is approximately one quarter of the temperature of the sun's 'warm' solar flares, which average 144,000 degrees-F and are much better understood by scientists. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued an alert Monday warning that this dark plasma pulse could lead to 'power grid fluctuations.' The flare has the potential to disrupt radios, aviation communication and satellite operations when it makes impact by at least Friday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an alert Monday warning that the dark plasma pulse from this 'cold solar flare' could lead to 'power grid fluctuations.' Above an Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) composite image of the sun from Monday, July 22 NASA's video from its Solar Dynamics Observatory showed a dark cloud of the cold solar flare bursting from the sun, creating what looks like black smoke as this cooler-than-average plasma shot northward up the surface of the sun. So-called 'cold' solar flares which have only been the subject of serious study by astrophysicists in the past decade appear to be no less high in microwave radiation than a 'warm' solar flare. These lower temperature solar flares, according to one 2023 study, found that the flares produce 'higher peak frequencies of gyrosynchrotron emission,' the exact form of radiation responsible for a flare's intense and disruptive radio emissions. NOAA has advised that there's a 60 percent chance of more medium-level or M-class solar flares within the next 24 hours and a 15 percent chance of a more extreme X-class flare, which could trigger radio blackouts all around the world. But this recent, 'cold' M-class solar flare erupted from the sunspot region named AR3757 late Sunday. Specifically, the flare was an M1-class which is on the low end of the ten-point scale within this medium M range. Solar flares are divided into four lettered categories by their severity: X-class flares are the most intense, followed by M, C, and the weakest, B. Only X and M flares radiate energy powerful enough to affect Earth, where their electromagnetic pulses can cause communications and electrical disruptions. In the past 24 hours, at least six M-class solar flares have caused radio disruptions internationally, including one M1 flare that caused radio blackouts in parts of the Western Hemisphere, and three in Asia. The largest of these was an M3.2-class flare that led to a radio blackout in the Pacific late Sunday, according to University of Athens Space Weather Forecasting Center. Experts have warned that Earth is set to weather increasingly more severe solar storms over the next year. NOAA also advised that there's a 60-percent chance of more medium-level or M-class solar flares within the next 24 hours - and a 15-percent chance of a more extreme X-class flare, which could trigger radio blackouts around the world. Above a July 22 AIA image of the sun Smithsonian astrophysicist Dr Jonathan McDowell told DailyMail.com in May that the sun has not yet reached its 'solar maximum,' the most energetic point of its recurring, 11-year solar cycle, in which greater turbulence raises its energy output. That 'maximum' will finally come in the heat of the summer next year: July 2025. 'We could easily get much bigger storms over the next year or two,' Dr McDowell, who works with the Smithsonian and Harvard's Center for Astrophysics explained. 'It's definitely a scary time for satellite operators,' he added. 'This is the time when you get the most sunspots, and they start getting larger,' Dean Pesnell, project Scientist at NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, agreed. But, 'as AR3738 rotates out of view, the sun may settle down quite a bit,' for a couple days to a week, Pesnell told DailyMail.com earlier this July. At 2019's 'solar minimum,' the number of visible sunspots on the sun's surface was effectively zero, but at the coming maximum in July 2025, the US National Space Weather Prediction Center has estimated that there could be up to 115 sunspots. These magnetically dense areas of turbulence on the solar surface produce solar flares and more powerful 'coronal mass ejection' (CME) eruptions of plasma. While the 11-year solar cycle only raises the total radiation coming out of the sun a deceptively small 0.1 percent, that excess is very concentrated in sunspot activity. Last May, these increases to the 173,000 terawatts (trillions of watts) of solar energy that continuously hit Earth disrupted farmers 'global positioning system' (GPS) satellites and stalled planting equipment across the US Midwest. 'I've never dealt with anything like this,' Patrick O'Connor, who owns a farm roughly a 90-minute drive south Minneapolis, told the New York Times. Right now the only predictive method space weather experts have for forecasting when a major solar storm is likely to strike is following the path of sunspots. 'If you watch the sunspot going around the sun, what we call an "active area,"' Dr McDowell said in May, '"Oh, I'm seeing that sunspot, and it's going to be facing the Earth in two days." So, if it happens to burp, then then we could be in trouble.' 'So, there's a certain level of forecasting possible,' he added. 'We're working on improving that.' Fascinating photos reveal how there was once a beach in New York City, which city dwellers and tourists alike enjoyed for six years before it was developed. The stretch of sand, which came to existence in the 1970s and was known as Battery Park Beach, neared the tip of Manhattan with the Twin Towers looming in the background. Suellen Epstein, who lived in the Tribeca neighborhood at the time, told the Tribeca Citizen that she spent many weekends at the beach with her then boyfriend and it was great for those who couldn't afford to travel further afield. She explained: 'We didn't have resources to go out to the Hamptons. 'We were out there on the beach any sunny Sunday - as long as it wasn't wet... You felt like you were not in the city - like it was the Manhattan countryside.' The stretch of sand, which came to existence in the 1970s and was known as Battery Park Beach, neared the tip of Manhattan One black and white photo snapped on September 23, 1979, shows how the beach was used to stage an anti-nuclear power rally and concert According to a piece in The New York Times, the beach was actually 'acres and acres of landfill' and not intended for public use The New Yorker noted that it 'wasn't the most luxurious sand,' with a 'gritty' texture. One black and white photo, snapped on September 23, 1979, shows how the beach was used to stage an anti-nuclear power rally and concert, with hundreds of revelers sat in the sand. According to a piece in The New York Times, the beach was actually 'acres and acres of landfill' and not intended for public use. But with a delay on construction plans, Manhattanites came to clam the sandy wasteland as their own space to play with. Some areas were fenced off but the majority was open to explore. Reminiscing about the sprawling site, another New York resident, environmental graphic designer David Vanden-Eynden, told The New York Times: 'There was nothing there yet and there were spectacular views of the towers and across the river.' Detailing what happened to the beach, the same article explains: 'The first wave of settlers wouldn't arrive in Battery Park City until the early '80s. 'By 2000, nearly all of the former landfill had been developed. British performance and fashion group Shock on the sands of Battery Park Beach in 1981 Musicians Avis Davis (left) and Joy Ryder at the beach for one of the No Nukes: MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) Concerts in 1979 'By 2000, nearly all of the former landfill had been developed,' a New York Times article explains. Above the a shot of the beach with the Twin Towers behind in 1973 'Shortly afterward, of course, the Twin Towers fell and residents were suddenly refugees.' Several Times photographers were sent out on assignment to capture photos of the beach and some images shared to Reddit have garnered dozens of comments. Many commenters have deemed the scenes 'wild' and 'surreal.' Another Redditor mused: 'I love these photos so much. 'I remember seeing these for the first time, and as a teenager born and raised in NYC my mind being blown that anything remotely like a beach ever existed in Manhattan.' READ MORE: Fascinating photos show how Benidorm has changed since 1960s Tourists took to Reddit to reveal which spots live up to their billing Social media influencers beam the worlds biggest, most interesting and prettiest destinations into living rooms around the globe with their videos and photos. But sadly, reality doesnt always live up to those Instagram, YouTube and TikTok posts - as a recent thread on Reddit highlights. Tourists have taken to the site to share the destinations that didnt match the hashtag hype. And the ones that did. Reddit user Amphotoxic kicked off the discussion by asking: What travel destination is nothing like its portrayed on social media? A Reddit user says Japan's Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is 'much smaller and more crowded than it's often portrayed' Plymouth Rock is described as 'literally just a small rock' by one disappointed Reddit user The places that DONT live up to social media hype Baffled by bamboo Japans Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Kyoto has attracted more than 110,000 tags on Instagram, but for many travellers it doesnt live up to the photo billing. Existencefaqs says: Bamboo forest in Kyoto is much smaller and more crowded than its often portrayed. SnoNight adds: Went there before sunrise and was surprised it was just a path of bamboo near some peoples houses. Tormented by Times Square, New York Redditor 'bedpeace' complained: 'It's tiny and much less impressive than it looks in film or in photos. Just a couple blocks filled with giant screens and advertisements. Plymouth Rock - doesn't rock The USAs Plymouth Rock, in Massachusetts, might have huge historic significance as the site of the Mayflower landing, but it doesnt rock - at least according to many of the commenters. Possible_Implement86 says: Its literally just a small rock! I was very disappointed. Theretherekadooze says: I was shocked that it was a literal rock and that day my belief that history was properly recorded was shattered. 'JBookie87 jokes that the Rock has been disappointing school kids for generations. Mystified by Mykonos 'Good luck getting through all the people,' said 'rockdude625'. Cancun - full of seaweed One tourist complained that social media photos of Cancun 'never show the seaweed' One traveller slammed Bali as the worst place they'd been to, adding that the 'beaches are filthy' Pena Palace has been described by one traveller as 'the biggest waste of time' Cancun in Mexico has more than nine million Instagram tags, many featuring the resorts beaches. But one traveller, witz93, was left feeling disappointed, saying: They never show the seaweed on social media. Another person adds: The seaweed is not nearly the worst part of Cancun. The s****y drunk tourists, for one, are just terrible. Baulking at Bali From its treetop bedrooms to infinity pools, Bali is supposedly an influencers dream - one that been tagged over nine million times on Instagram. But tourist tricorn, says: I just came back from Bali earlier this month. It was one of the worst places Ive been to. The beaches are filthy. Another person agrees, saying Bali was the most disappointing place I have been to after they expected to see a tropical paradise. Peeved by Pisa 'Ive loved everywhere in Italy Ive been, except Pisa. What a waste of a day,' said one Redditor 'Most disappointing place I ever visited was Pisa,' said 'Live_Studio_Emu. 'Get off the train and walk down a street which is full of tourist stores and eventually you get to the tower, which is fine enough, but absolutely packed with people doing the "holding it up" photo. It felt way too Disneyland for me. Ive loved everywhere in Italy Ive been, except Pisa. What a waste of a day.' Pena Palace pessimism Portugals Pena Palaces colourful exteriors are a popular Instagram backdrop, but the castle wasnt quite as beautiful up close for one tourist, who says the paint was falling off and kind of covered in black mould, while another describes it as the biggest waste of time. The places that DO live up to social media hype Dont unfollow all the influencers yet. Some destinations truly do live up to their social media hype. Lake Tahoe is even bigger and more beautiful in person, according to one Reddit user Puerto Rico has 'stunning' mountains says one traveller, while another tourist says 'it's the most beautiful territory in the USA' Love for Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe is even bigger and more beautiful in person, according to Reddit user Johnbgt. Another person adds: Lake Tahoe is one of the most stunning mountain lakes ever. And Ive seen a lot. Jaw dropper bucket list. Purring over Puerto Rico Puerto Rico also gets the nod of approval, with one tourist saying: [Its] stunning, especially the central mountains, and the people are incredibly warm and friendly. Another person agrees, adding: Its the most beautiful territory in the USA and so is the culture. 'Photos don't do justice' to Croatia's Plitvice Lakes, according to one Reddit user, who says it's one of the 'most beautiful places I've ever seen' South Americas Iguazu Falls look way more spectacular in person Taiwan is as good as the pictures, with one traveller saying its one of the most beautiful countries Cooing over Croatia The waterfalls at Croatias Plitvice Lakes have been tagged more than 415,000 times on Instagram, but all those pictures cant capture its beauty according to macshady, who says: No photos do it justice. Top 3 most beautiful places Ive ever seen. Another user agrees, saying: Ive never seen water like Plitvice. Place looks like its straight out of Avatar. Gushing over Iguazu Falls South Americas Iguazu Falls also look way more spectacular in person, according to one Redditor. Another person says: One hundred per cent. Even professional photography doesnt come anywhere near the look. And thats not including the rest of the senses. Tantalised by Taiwan Taiwan is also as good as the pictures, it turns out, with one user saying its one of the most beautiful countries, while another praises its gorgeous waterfalls and mountains. Bella Hadid has hired a legal team in the wake of her retracted Adidas SL72 sneaker campaign after she was dropped from the ad following backlash, a source familiar with the situation told DailyMail.com. Last week Adidas dropped vocal pro-Palestinian model Bella, 27, from an advertising campaign for retro trainers referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics, which were overshadowed by the massacre of Israeli athletes. Hadid has procured legal counsel in the aftermath of the controversy, citing the brand's lack of accountability for its role in the backlash. Adidas recently relaunched the SL72, a sneaker first showcased by athletes at the 1972 games, as part of a series reviving its classics. Bella is still under contract with the company and Adidas has apologized, insisting it never meant to reference the tragedy and announcing plans to revise the advertisement. Bella Hadid, 27, has hired a legal team in the wake of her retracted Adidas SL72 sneaker campaign, which sparked fury from fans; the model pictured in May in France Bella announced the campaign with a social media post in mid July A source told TMZ Bella is troubled that Adidas would release a campaign that would connect someone to a tragedy such as the Munich Massacre; and a source also told Us Weekly that 'violence is not consistent with Bellas views.' Eleven Israeli athletes and a German police officer were killed at the 1972 Munich Games after gunmen from Black September broke into the Olympic village and took them hostage. Hadid, who was born in the US and is the daughter of Palestinian real estate developer Mohamed Hadid, has long been vocal about her support for Palestinian rights. On July 19, Adidas said it would be 'revising the remainder of the campaign' with immediate effect, without specifying how. 'We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events - though these are completely unintentional - and we apologise for any upset or distress caused,' the company said in a statement. The explanation continued: '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.' Pictures of the model wearing the red, retro Adidas footwear prompted an outcry among pro-Israeli groups. On Sunday morning, the Adidas Originals Instagram account posted a statement in reference to the uproar via the app's Stories feature. The company apologized to Hadid and several other partners for 'any negative impact' they may have incurred. It began: 'Connections continue to be made to the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Munich Olympics due to our recent SL72 campaign.' Last week the German sportswear brand removed its ad, which starred 27-year-old Bella and referenced the 1972 Munich Olympics, after fans took to social media to voice their anger in reference to the murders of 11 Israeli athletes The campaign rollout was marked with a celebration in New York City on July 11 On Sunday morning the Adidas Originals Instagram account posted a statement in reference to the uproar via the app's Stories feature The message went on to say, 'These connections are not meant and we apologise for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world. 'We made an unintentional mistake. 'We also apologize to our partners, Bella Hadid, A$AP Nast, Jules Kounde, and others, for any negative impact on them and we are revising the campaign.' Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter Shiloh's attorney has made a new statement about her 'significant decision' to drop her father's last name. The 18-year-old who is one of the former couple's six kids filed for the name change on her birthday this year, May 27. It was publicly announced with a legal notice in the Los Angeles Times. Regarding the public name change, in a statement on behalf of the teen, Shiloh's lawyer, Peter Levine, shared that she 'made an independent and significant decision following painful events,' adding that she was 'merely following legal process' when publishing the information. 'Shiloh Jolie did not take out an "ad" announcing any name change, and any press reporting that is inaccurate,' Levine clarified, per People. 'As Shiloh's attorney, I am required to publish a legal notice because the law in California requires that of anyone who wants to change their name. That legal notice was published in the Los Angeles Times, as is required.' Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter Shiloh's, 18, attorney has made a new statement about her 'significant decision' to drop her father's last name; Shiloh pictured in 2021 Shiloh filed for the name change on her birthday this year, May 27. It was publicly announced with a legal notice in the Los Angeles Times; Brad pictured July 19 in Budapest In addition to Shiloh, the exes share sons Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, daughter Zahara, 19, and fraternal twins Vivienne and Knox, 16. Zahara and Vivienne have also dropped Pitt from their monikers, though it's unclear if Vivienne has made the change legally. Pitt has 'virtually no contact' with his older children according to a recent report. One month after Shiloh filed to drop his last name, a source revealed to People that Pitt's relationship with his older kids remains strained. 'He has virtually no contact with the adult kids. His engagement with the younger kids is more limited in recent months because of his filming schedule,' the insider shared. Angelina filed for divorce from the actor in 2019 after five years of marriage. The union ended on a contentious note and their children appear to have taken sides. The two filmmakers have been locked in a bitter battle over their French vineyard and home after the Tomb Raider star sold her $64 million stake to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler in 2021. Shiloh's lawyer, Peter Levine, said she made the decision 'following painful events' in a new statement to People; pictured with her mother in 2021 Shiloh now only uses his mother's surname, Jolie; Angelina pictured with five of her six children in October 2021; L-R Shiloh, Zahara, Angelina, Vivienne, Maddox, and Knox The estranged couple met in 2004 and married in 2014. Angelina filed for divorce from the actor in 2019 after five years of marriage; pictured in 2009 They later entered into an acrimonious back-and-forth over NDA's, which have become a key point in their fight. Jolie is now asking Pitt to 'end the fighting' and drop the lawsuit against her to allow their family to 'heal.' But sources told DailyMail.com that the Fight Club star 'has no intention' of dropping it, alleging that Jolie only made the plea after realizing that she does not have as strong a case as she previously thought. 'Brad is not going to drop this lawsuit why would he? This was a very standard business dispute but unfortunately, Angelina has consistently introduced personal elements that are meant for a divorce court,' a person close to the situation revealed. Nadia Bartel says she is proud of her Dancing With The Stars journey, despite an unexpected and premature end on Sunday night. The fashion influencer opened up about her experience in an interview with The Herald Sun, reflecting on the highs and lows of her time on the show. Nadia, who admitted to suffering from stage fright during her first performance, managed to find her stride in her second routine before her surprise elimination. 'I was in a good head space and literally just before I went on I got so nervous,' she said. The former WAG explained how she attempted to prepare herself mentally for her second dance. 'I was trying to gear myself up for not having that feeling again but when you've got to stand there for a minute before you perform, I found those moments really hard. I definitely handled it better the second time and I enjoyed it for what I had to do.' Although she is disappointed by her early exit, Nadia said she chose to focus on the positive aspects of her experience. 'I was so looking forward to learning to dance so it's not the best feeling but I'm looking at all the positives,' she said. Nadia Bartel says she is proud of her Dancing With The Stars journey, despite an unexpected and premature end on Sunday night The fashion influencer opened up about her experience in an interview with The Herald Sun , reflecting on the highs and lows of her time on the show With her time on the dancefloor now behind her, Nadia is turning her attention back to her business ventures. The founder of the fashion label Henne is focusing on expanding her brand, with new stores in Sydney and Melbourne, and plans for a third store likely in Melbourne. The ex-WAG found herself in the bottom two couples alongside AFL bad boy Ben Cousins, and were forced to go head to head in a nail-biting dance off. Nadia was sent packing on Dancing With The Stars after her tango was labeled 'messy' and 'sloppy'. Pictured alongside partner Lyu Masuda The judges opted to save Cousins on the night as he 'had the most potential for growth', according to veteran judge Mark Wilson. Nadia appeared heartbroken by the decision, but was graceful in defeat. 'I just love doing hard things - and this has been hard for me,' said a crestfallen Nadia, standing alongside partner Lyu Masuda. 'It's been so great, and I've had an incredible dance partner,' she went on. 'It's been nice to try something new - it's been fun'. Earlier in the show, Nadia left a lot to be desired when she took to the floor to perform a tango with partner Lyu Masuda. 'It was very, very weak. It was very messy,' commented judge Craig Revel Horwood, before adding, 'It lacked any drama or passion.' Judge Sharna Burgess soon echoed his sentiment, labelling the performance 'sloppy'. 'I think you need to start with just some strength and tone in your body. Really start from your core and be able to put that strength and tone through all of your muscles,' Sharna advised. 'Without that, all these details that you work on get lost, and it starts to look... sloppy. 'And you don't want that, you're not working for sloppy. I see how hard you're working,' Sharna added. It comes one week after the judge's savaged Nadia's cha-cha. The judges opted to save Ben Cousins on the night, as he 'had the most potential for growth', according to veteran judge Mark Wilson 'It was out of time. It lacked dynamic. The hip and leg action was not there in the slightest, so it didn't look like a cha-cha,' said Craig. 'For me it was very pedestrian, like you were literally walking the streets, stomping. You did sell it, with the hair flicks,' he added. The audience booed the judge's comments, to which he snapped, 'Oh shut up!' Judge Sharna Burgess chimed in, saying she liked Nadia's 'sexy strut' but admitted she had work to do. Zooey Deschanel attended the premiere of her upcoming movie Harold and the Purple Crayon in theme. The New Girl star, 44, wore a purple patterned tank dress with blue accents with purple Calzedonia tights, black ballet flats and a lavender purse. Zooey who recently showed off her engagement ring in a sexy red dress wore her dark hair in a low ponytail with full bangs across her forehead. Co-star Zachary Levi, who plays Harold in the film, also leaned into the purple theme with a lavender shirt, tan pants and an off-white blazer. The two actors bring the classic 1955 children's book by Crockett Johnson to life in the movie adaptation debuting in theaters on August 2. Zooey Deschanel attended the premiere of her upcoming movie Harold and the Purple Crayon in theme The New Girl star, 44, wore a purple patterned tank dress with blue accents with purple tights, black ballet flats and a lavender purse The logline for the film reads: 'Inside of his book, adventurous Harold can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. 'After he grows up and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life.' Zooey plays Harold's co-worker Terry and the ensemble cast also includes Lil Rel Howery as Moose, Benjamin Bottani as Mel, Jemaine Clement as Gary, and Tanya Reynolds as Porcupine. Alfred Molina lends his voice as the Narrator of the fantasy-adventure. The movie was directed by Carlos Saldanha, who previously helmed the Ice Age movies as well as Rio and Ferdinand. The film has been in development since 1992. Back then Henry Selick was attached to direct, but he left the Harold project in favor of directing James and the Giant Peach. Spike Jonze was then brought in to help a hybrid live action - animation version of the film that stalled when he left the project two weeks before filming was scheduled to begin. The current iteration of the project has been in development at Sony since 2010. She accentuated her features with delicate glam Zooey brings the classic 1955 children's book by Crockett Johnson to life in the movie adaptation debuting in theaters on August 2 The logline for the film reads: 'Inside of his book, adventurous Harold can make anything come to life simply by drawing it' Zooey wore her dark hair in a low ponytail with full bangs across her forehead Zooey plays Harold's co-worker Terry and the ensemble cast also includes Lil Rel Howery as Moose, Benjamin Bottani as Mel, Jemaine Clement as Gary, and Tanya Reynolds as Porcupine Co-star Zachary Levi , who plays Harold in the film, also leaned into the purple theme with a lavender shirt, tan pants and an off-white blazer Zooey got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, HGTV star Jonathan Scott last year. He popped the question while on vacation in Scotland and got Zooey's two kids, Elsie, nine, and Charlie, seven, whom she shares with ex-husband film producer Jacob Pechenik, involved. 'We went up to this beautiful bluff overlooking the city, and this pipe band is playing. And then all of a sudden a guitar steps forward and started playing Neil Young, our song, Harvest Moon, and she's like, "Wait, what?"' The media figure then stated that Deschanel's daughter and son 'pulled up a banner that said, "Will you marry me?"' Married At First Sight star Tori Adams has addressed backlash she has received over her recent appearance. The 28-year-old hit back at trolls who criticised her for undergoing cosmetic procedures after she posted a sultry selfie on Sunday night. Tori said she was disappointed at the numerous nasty messages she's received regarding her latest post. 'Okay, guys, I really contemplated whether or not to do this, but I've never received so many messages, so many DMs about something before,' she said. 'So my latest post there is a lot of talk about ''what have you done to your face? You used to be so naturally beautiful. It's such a shame. You look so different. What have you done?'' You were such a role model to younger women who hadn't had any work and really normalising that, you know, natural is, is where it's at.' Tori said she has always been honest with her followers about her use of injectables. 'I've never once claimed to be a natural beauty. I've always said, Botox and filler is something that I get. I used to get it before MAFS. As soon as I came off MAFS, I went and got everything freshened up. And recently when I was in Melbourne, I got freshened up again.' Married At First Sight star Tori Adams has addressed backlash she has received over her recent appearance The 28-year-old hit back at trolls who criticised her for undergoing cosmetic procedures after she posted a sultry selfie on Sunday night She said she was also wearing a full face of makeup and used a rim light in the photo she was criticised over. 'That photo, I have a face full of makeup on, there is a light in front of me, I'm pouting, there's so many elements, I've got a dark lip liner on, someone said my cheeks have been overfilled, there is not an ounce of filler in my cheeks, I think I'm just lucky to have naturally plump cheeks,' she explained. Tori added she also invests heavily in her skincare routine and other beauty practices. 'You need to keep in mind that I also do have a skincare routine. The Botox absolutely assists, but there are a lot of other factors,' she added. Tori's rant comes just weeks after she and her super villain groom Jack Dunkley gave fans an update on their romance. Personal trainer Jack, 34, recently took to Instagram to confirm he and Tori were going stronger than ever as he shared a montage of their recent activities together. Tori's rant comes just weeks after she and her super villain groom Jack Dunkley gave fans an update on their romance In the video, the couple looked as loved-up as ever as they held hands and posed for cosy selfies as well as enjoying fun days out with former MAFS stars. Jack also shared videos of them working out in the gym together, as well as glamorous shots of Tori ready for a night out on the town. In an accompanying caption, he said of their romance: 'Sharing life is always better.' Maya Jama put on a busty display as she hosted Love Island: Aftersun on Sunday. The TV presenter, 29, opened the Love Island spin-off by strutting into the London studios in the daring see-through outfit, just days after announcing her split from rapper Stormzy. At the top of the spin-off of the ITV2 dating show, Maya was cheered on by the studio audience and she was in good spirits. The brunette beauty welcomed the viewers to the progamme with enthusiasm and then introduced the guests for the night. These included former stars Molly Marsh and Zach Nobel, recent evictees Lolly and Hart and Konnor Ewudzi but Maya almost forgot to introduce one special guest. Maya Jama put on a busty display as she hosted Love Island: Aftersun on Sunday just days ahead of the final The TV presenter, 29, opened the Love Island spin-off by strutting into the London studios in the daring see-through outfit, just days after announcing her split from rapper Stormzy She said: 'Oh, and my mum's in the audience tonight as well. I nearly forgot that!' as the pair exchanged a wave. Sunday night's edition of the late night chat show was the last one to come from London. As the ITV2 dating show reaches the final next week , Aftersun will be taking place live from the villa in Mallorca. Just hours before going live, Maya shared a snap of the set and wrote: 'Final aftersun in London tonight & then we're doing it live from Mallorca before the final finallll'(sic) The former Celebrity Juice star then shared a picture of flowers and a card that had been sent to her dressing room. The card congratulated Maya on her rise in the media industry and wished her every success in the future. In one cheeky post before going live, Maya gave viewers a sneak preview of her outfit as she wiggled in a sultry manner while posing in a mirror. Maya looked nothing short of sensational in the daring number which showed off her incredible figure Maya was greeted with rapturous applause by her studio audience as she arrived to host the Love Island spin-off The former Celebrity Juice star then shared a picture of flowers and a card that had been sent to her dressing room Just hours before going live, Maya shared a snap of the set and wrote: 'Final aftersun in London tonight & then we're doing it live from Mallorca before the final finallll'(sic) In one cheeky post before going live, Maya gave viewers a sneak preview of her outfit as she wiggled in a sultry manner while posing in a mirror Maya confirmed in an Instagram statement on Wednesday that the pair have once again called it quits, admitting they had been trying for a year 'to make it work' On Wednesday, Maya and Stormzy took to their Instagram Story to announce their split. Their joint statement read: 'We've been laughing whilst drafting this because we never, ever, in a million years thought we'd be the couple announcing a breakup. 'But for the sake of clarity and, more importantly, to allow us the space and grace that's 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 fell madly in love in 2014, broke up in 2019, and then spent five years manoeuvring life apart.' Kim Cattrall took to X on Sunday to set the record straight on whether she'll return to Max's And Just like That for season three a week after Life & Style reported there was 'tension' in the behind-the-scenes negotiations. The 67-year-old Golden Globe winner - who boasts 1.6M Instagram/X followers - tweeted: 'Aw that's so kind but I'm not.' Kim's brief return as London-based PR mogul Samantha Jones was definitely the highlight of the second season even if it was only to apologize to her former BFF/client Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) via cell phone for not making it to her apartment farewell dinner. Cattrall was reportedly paid an eye-popping $1M to reprise her role for the 70-second cameo in the finale - titled 'The Last Supper Part Two: Entree' - which was negotiated directly by Max chairman-CEO Casey Bloys. In the HBO series - which spanned 1998-2004 - Samantha was the most sexed yet the least judgmental of Carrie's friends - even after her affair with then-married Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Kim Cattrall took to X on Sunday to set the record straight on whether she'll return to Max's And Just like That for season three a week after Life & Style reported there was 'tension' in the behind-the-scenes negotiations The 67-year-old Golden Globe winner - who boasts 1.6M Instagram/X followers - tweeted: 'Aw that's so kind but I'm not' Who could forget the touching scene when Jones spoonfed soup to a despondent Bradshaw on her Mexican honeymoon (sans her flaky groom) in the 2008 flick Sex and the City: The Movie? But there was clearly bad blood between the 'Liverpool-born, Canadian-bred New Yorker' and the 59-year-old Emmy winner, which exploded on Instagram in 2018 when she accused Sarah of expressing faux concern over the death of her brother Chris. 'Everything is on Google, so I encourage you to Google it, about anything that I've said [about her],' Kim told the Los Angeles Times in 2020. 'I feel that that was then, and when I look at what's going on around me, I just don't have any regrets.' Parker denied ever having a feud with her Cattrall over their six seasons of Sex and the City and two films. 'I think we both felt like it had taken on a life and it didn't matter how many people denied it,' the former child star lamented on The Howard Stern Show in 2016. 'These were my sisters. These were people that I grew to love and admire. And was every day perfect? Were people always desperately, hopelessly in love with each other? No but this is a family of people who needed each other, relied upon each other, and loved each other. And this sort of narrative, this ongoing cat fight, it really used to upset me for a very long time.' Instead, fans can expect new AJLT cast members next year like Logan Marshall-Green, Jonathan Cake, John Corbett, Rosie O'Donnell, Jenifer Lewis, Cheri Oteri, and Mehcad Brooks. Kim's brief return as London-based PR mogul Samantha Jones was definitely the highlight of the second season even if it was only to apologize to her former BFF/client Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) via cell phone for not making it to her apartment farewell dinner Kim's brief return as London-based PR mogul Samantha Jones was definitely the highlight of the second season even if it was only to apologize to her former BFF/client Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) via cell phone for not making it to her apartment farewell dinner In the HBO series - which spanned 1998-2004 - Samantha was the most sexed yet the least judgmental of Carrie's friends - even after her affair with then-married Mr. Big (Chris Noth) Who could forget the touching scene when Jones spoonfed soup to a despondent Bradshaw on her Mexican honeymoon (sans her flaky groom) in the 2008 flick Sex and the City: The Movie? But there was clearly bad blood between the 'Liverpool-born, Canadian-bred New Yorker' and the 59-year-old Emmy winner, which exploded on Instagram in 2018 when she accused Sarah of expressing faux concern over the death of her brother Chris SCRAPS AND THE CITY: HOW DID KIM AND SARAH'S FEUD BEGIN? May 2008: SJP defended Kim when she was asked whether she supported her decision to delay the filming of the first SATC movie due to salary disputes December 2009: Kim and Cynthia Nixon attend SJP's premier for Did You Hear About The Morgans? in a show of support and SJP tells Elle that she wouldn't have done the SATC film without Kim January 2010: In an interview with the Mail, Kim expressed her exasperation over the never-ending feud rumours saying 'People don't want to believe that we get on' May 2010: Kim admits that 'sometimes feelings get hurt' during grueling filming hours due to the amount of time the women spent together August 2016: SJP wishes Kim a happy 60th birthday and addresses her as her 'old friend' October 2016: Kim once again defends feud rumours but admits not every day working together is easy or perfect September 2017: SJP confirmed a third SATC movie... and then announced it was happening Willie Garson, who played Carrie's BFF Stan tweeted, 'Disappointed for all crew holding on for negotiations to conclude for their jobs, and of course, for the fans. Leave it at that. #Truth.' October 2017: Kim Tells Piers Morgan that SJP 'could have been nicer' about the SATC 3 demise February 2018: Kim blasts 'cruel' SJP and says she is not a friend nor family to her Advertisement On Saturday, the five-time Emmy nominee shared a swimsuit-clad video of herself cooling off in a pool and enjoying a curb-side meal in a post captioned: 'Summertime' Kim has been enjoying a career hiatus since last fall when her Netflix series Glamorous and Hulu sitcom How I Met Your Father were both canceled (pictured July 3) Since 2016, thrice-divorced Cattrall has been inseparable from her British beau - former BBC staffer Russell Thomas (R) - who's reportedly 14 years her junior On Saturday, the five-time Emmy nominee shared a swimsuit-clad video of herself cooling off in a pool and enjoying a curb-side meal in a post captioned: 'Summertime.' Kim has been enjoying a career hiatus since last fall when her Netflix series Glamorous and Hulu sitcom How I Met Your Father were both canceled. Since 2016, thrice-divorced Cattrall has been inseparable from her British beau - former BBC staffer Russell Thomas - who's reportedly 14 years her junior. Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - A UN convoy has been hit by heavy shooting from Israeli forces at a checkpoint while en route to Gaza city, the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on Monday Robert Irwin has defended his close relationship with his family. The 20-year-old zookeeper and TV host hit back at claims his mother Terri was a 'helicopter parent' and that it was 'creepy' they spend so much time together. Robert said he enjoyed an extremely close bond with his clan following the loss of his famous dad Steve Irwin. Steve died on September 4, 2006, at the age of 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. Robert was just two years and nine months old at the time, while his sister Bindi was eight. 'I think loss brings a family together like nothing else... people forget [that],' Robert said during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday. 'I think when we lost dad, our little tight-knit family unit became incredibly tight. And we travel with the whole family everywhere most of the time. It's nice.' Robert's close relationship with his mother Terri, 60, has been met with a backlash from fans who think the pair are 'joined at the hip'. Robert Irwin has defended his close relationship with his family Terri is often seen with Robert at red carpet events and her public appearances with the popular celebrity conservationist have increased since Robert's shock split from girlfriend Rorie Buckey in February. Reports later emerged that Terri's opinions of the relationship may have contributed to the break-up. She also accompanied Robert to South Africa and was on set while he filmed I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! this year. Robert also invited Bindi and his two-year-old niece Grace Warier to join him while filming. The 20-year-old zookeeper and TV host hit back at claims his mother Terri was a 'helicopter parent' and it was 'creepy' they spend so much time together Back in April, a producer for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! expressed concerns for Robert and his ever-present mother. Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia at the time, the anonymous producer admitted that Terri's presence on set every day was 'a little creepy', saying: 'It is giving "bringing your-mum-to-school-camp" vibes.' Terri, who has been in charge of Robert and his big sister Bindi's showbiz careers since the death of Steve, apparently kept a close eye on everything Robert did while working on the program. Robert said he enjoyed an extremely close bond with his family following the loss of his famous dad Steve Irwin. Pictured: Robert on the red carpet with sister Bindi, 25, and his mum, Terri, 60, in May 'The two have an excellent relationship and Terri couldn't be nicer but there are not many situations where employees will have their mum at work with them, just to make sure everything is above board,' the insider said. 'The rumour on set is that Robert has been withholding information from his mum on his dating life, which is pretty standard for most 20-year-old boys,' the source spilled, claiming that 'cracks will continue to appear' if Terri continues to get involved in his love life. Terri's parenting tactics continued to raise questions among Robert's fans when the pair posed together in multiple images shared to Instagram during their travels overseas in May. In two of the photos, Terri and her son were pictured beaming for the camera, and some detractors complained the pair are frequently seen together. 'Is Robert and his mother joined at the hip. She is in every pic you see of him,' one person wrote in the comments while another said: 'He's 20 now!' Last month a TV insider revealed to the Daily Mail Australia that Robert was planning to take to Terri to the 64th annual TV Week Logie Awards on August 18 as his 'special guest'. Robert split from his girlfriend of two years Rorie Buckey in February. Ever since, his mum's public appearances with the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! host have increased It is said producers of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, which Robert hosts alongside Julia Morris, are concerned having his mother, 59, on his arm could 'land with a massive thud with his core fans'. 'The son of the late Steve Irwin is arguably Australia's most talked about "bachelor" in the TV industry and everyone knows he wouldn't find it hard to pull a date. Which is why his decision seems a little odd,' the insider said. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Robert Irwin and Terri Irwin for comment. Eamonn Holmes was still wearing his wedding ring as he took on an extra work shift this weekend. The Irish broadcaster, 64, who usually hosts on a weekday, made a surprise appearance to the Sunday TV schedule as he appeared next to Anne Diamond on GB News. The presenter shared a picture to his Instagram of the two of them together and captioned the post: 'Called into present extra this morning and what a pleasure it turned out to be with the legend that is Anne Diamond . 'Great response from you on a lot of the subjects we covered. See u in the Morning!' As he smiled for the camera, he was flooded with support from fans saying the two worked well together and their segment was enjoyable to watch. Eamonn Holmes made a surprise appearance to the Sunday TV schedule as he appeared next to Anne Diamond on GB News with some fans spotting that he was still wearing his wedding ring It was announced in May that Eamonn and Ruth Langsford would be going their separate ways following a 27 year relationship and 14 years of marriage However some eagle eyed fans noticed Eamonn was still wearing his wedding ring on his hand, despite the ongoing divorce with Loose Women presenter and wife Ruth Langsford Comments included: 'He's still wearing his wedding ring' and 'that's what I was thinking!! Glad somebody noticed apart for myself!!' with another confirming: 'Saw it live this morning, this photo is from then. Noticed the wedding ring earlier this week'. It was announced the couple were going their separate ways in May following a 27 year relationship and 14 years of marriage. It comes after Eamonn shared an Instagram post earlier this month saying it's 'hard to stand up but next my aim is to walk' amid his ongoing health struggles. He attended the TRIC Awards in June, using a zimmer frame to walk as he accepted the accolade for Best Breakfast Show for his morning slot on GB News. The broadcaster has been suffering with chronic back pain for years but his condition worsened following an unsuccessful operation and he now struggles to walk unaided. A year after his spinal surgery, Eamonn underwent a spine and neck stretching procedure in September 2023 after admitting he 'couldn't walk'. Eamonn admitted he 'hadn't recovered' from his back surgery, confessing: 'I can't run, I can't walk, I can't do anything except watch TV and eat.' He explained: 'I just got problems last year in my back, which I haven't recovered from. It's not good, it's not a good recipe I have to say.' It has been reported that Eamonn is being consoled amid his split from Ruth by divorcee mother of three, Katie Alexander, 42, who's 22 years his junior. He has been spending time with the counsellor in recent weeks with sources saying she hopes their closeness can grow into a long-term relationship. It comes after Eamonn shared an Instagram post saying it's 'hard to stand up but next my aim is to walk' amid his ongoing health struggles Some eagle eyed fans noticed Eamonn was still wearing his wedding ring on his hand, despite the ongoing divorce with Loose Women presenter and wife Ruth Langsford Ruth had taken an extended break from presenting Loose Women following the end of her marriage and said the details should remain 'private' (both pictured in 2021) Ruth shares son Jack, 22, with Eamonn while he has three children Declan, 35, Rebecca, 32, and Niall, 30, from a previous marriage (pictured in 2007) A source told The Mirror: 'Katie is helping Eamonn through the tough times but doesn't want to be seen as a marriage wrecker. 'The friendship has grown in recent months but Eamonn's marriage has been over for some time.' Ruth shares son Jack, 22, with Eamonn while he has three children Declan, 35, Rebecca, 32, and Niall, 30, from a previous marriage. She first appeared on Loose Women 24 years ago but hasn't been on the show as their anchor since April. John Stamos and his former Full House co-star Dave Coulier took time out to remember their late friend and colleague Bob Saget during an episode of the Full House Rewind podcast. While they told a number of stories and anecdotes about the comedian and actor during their time on the iconic sitcom, the duo didn't shy away from the emotionally tough subject of death, and in particular, the loss of Bob Saget in January 2022. 'We're still processing the loss of him,' Stamos said with obvious emotion to his voice, for which Coulier, who played Joey Gladstone during Full House' eight season run, responded, 'It's left a huge void in our lives. We dedicated the first episode of Full House Rewind to Bob.' Stamos, 60, talked about how Saget, who played Danny Tanner on Full House, didn't fully understand or gage the depth of how much people loved and respected him, including friends, family and fans. 'The saddest part for me is that he didn't know how loved he was,' the man behind the Jesse Katsopolis character said of his pal. 'I mean when he died it was like a tsunami of love. I'm not being funny, but I don't even remember a person before Bob getting that much attention when they passed, maybe Princess Diana.' A sad-sounding John Stamos, 60, reflected back on the life and death of his late friend and former Full House co-star Bob Saget; the two old friends are pictured in April 2016 Stamos continued, 'And that's the sad part because he was very hard on himself, as you know,' before adding, 'And we talk about him being an egomaniac, he wasn't, but he had to puff himself up because he felt so bad about himself.' The former General Hospital actor again reiterated Saget's ignorance to the love the world had for him. 'He didn't realize how brilliant he was or realize how loved he was,' he shared. 'I'd like to think of him as still up there on stage killing it and people laughing.' Stamos then recalled the old phrase: 'Tomorrow's never promised,' that Saget used to tell him over the course of their friendship that dates back to 1980s. 'Here's the lesson from him and you know this,' he told Coulier. 'He never left anything on the table. He always said, "I love you. I care about you. I'm proud of you. You're my brother. Tomorrow's never promised folks.' 'I learned from Bob [that] tomorrow's not promised,' Stamos wrote in his memoir If You Would Have Told Me (2023). 'Live every moment to the fullest and tell everybody that you care about them.' During their podcast chat Stamos recalled a story from Saget's memoir Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles Of A Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian, which originally dropped in May 2014. 'The night [Saget] died, I put on his audio tape and it gave me such comfort. I don't know why. I listened to it every night when I went to sleep.' 'We're still processing the loss of him,' Stamos said with obvious emotion to his voice on the Full House Rewind podcast, for which Dave Coulier responded, 'It's left a huge void in our lives. We dedicated the first episode of Full House Rewind to Bob' 'The saddest part for me is that he didn't know how loved he was,' the man behind the Jesse Katsopolis character said of his pal. 'I mean when he died it was like a tsunami of love' Coulier, Saget and Stamos starred on the hit sitcom Full House for its eight-season run from 1987 to 1995; they are pictured in season one episode From there, he began to reminisce about one particular story that he thought maybe he had misheard on the audio version of his memoir. 'One morning I woke up and I was like, "Did he say, in his book, did he say he hit his head and that's how he died?"' he remembered pondering at that time after his death. 'And I'm like, "Nah, that couldn't be." And I went back to it and he talks, as a joke, about, "I would hit my head and call TMZ and [say] I'm dying."' 'He was like that,' Stamos said of his late friend and former colleague who was 65-years-old when he passed away on January 9, 2022. The beloved comedian and actor was found dead in his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Williamsburg near Orange County, Florida around 4 p.m. ET that fateful day. He had just performed his stand-up show in Ponte Vedra Beach the previous evening and seemingly had not left his room since going to sleep for the night. 'Here's the lesson from him and you know this,' Stamos told Coulier. 'He never left anything on the table. He always said, "I love you. I care about you. I'm proud of you. You're my brother. Tomorrow's never promised folks' 'It's left a huge void in our lives,' Coulier said of Saget After revealing he listened to the audio version of Saget's memoir after his death, Stamos remembered how he seemed to predict how he died: 'One morning I woke up and I was like, "Did he say, in his book, did he say he hit his head and that's how he died?"' he remembered pondering. 'And I'm like, "Nah, that couldn't be." And I went back to it and he talks, as a joke, about, "I would hit my head and call TMZ and [say] I'm dying"' 'I learned from Bob [that] tomorrow's not promised,' Stamos wrote in his memoir If You Would Have Told Me (2023). 'Live every moment to the fullest and tell everybody that you care about them' An autopsy report released a month after his passing found that Saget had suffered blunt head trauma to the back of his head most likely from an unwitnessed fall that set off a subdural hematoma in his sleep. Stamos was driving with his then five-year-old son Billy when his publicist Matt Polk called to ask if he had heard from the Grammy-nominated comedian after TMZ claimed 'several sources' said he was dead. Full House co-star Candace Cameron Bure then reached out after receiving a 'weird DM' about his death, and that's when Saget's wife Kelly Rizzo confirmed the tragic news to Stamos in a phone call. 'When I switch callers over to Kelly, all I hear is a wailing scream. I hit the ground in the parking lot and my knees slam down on the asphalt. "Noooooooo!"' the two-time Primetime Emmy nominee wrote in his memoir, If You Would Have Told Me (2023). The comedian and actor Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles Of A Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian Saget took to his Instagram page and shared about his last stand-up show in Florida the night before his death and his love of his job in comedy In his last-ever post on his Instagram page on January 9, 2022, the day of his death, Saget shared some thoughts about his performance in Florida the night before. 'Okay, I loved tonight's show @pontevedra_concerthall in Jacksonville. Really nice audience. Lots of positivity. Happened last night in Orlando last night at the Hard Rock Live too. Very appreciative and fun audiences. Thanks again to @comediantimwilkins for opening. I had no idea I did a two hour set tonight,' he wrote, before dishing about his love of his comedy craft. 'I'm back in comedy like I was when I was 26. I guess I'm finding my new voice and loving every moment of it. Aight, see you in two weeks Jan. 28 & 29 @pbimprov with my brother @therealmikeyoung- And check BobSaget.com for my dates in 2022 Goin everywhere until I get the special shot. And then probably keep going cause Im addicted to this s**t. Peace out.' Bob Saget, who was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native, with ties to Norfolk, Virginia and Encino, California, left behind his wife Kelly Rizzo and his three daughters Aubry, 37, Lara, 34, and Jennifer, 31. Bhad Bhabie and her baby daddy Le Vaughn were seen in a romantic embrace on Saturday outside of the Beverly Hills, California restaurant Avra, in the wake of domestic abuse allegations she made against him. The 21-year-old star, who is best known for her Cash Me Outside catchphrase, and Le Vaughn were witnessed 'hugging and smooching' by people on TMZ's Celebrity Tour bus, the outlet reported on Sunday. The eyebrow raising clip comes after she accused him of domestic abuse earlier this month, while sharing harrowing social media posts of the injuries he allegedly caused her. Bhad Bhabie, who says she has made around $57 million via her efforts on OnlyFans, was back in Southern California after visiting her mother Barbara Bregoli in Florida, according to the outlet. The outing came a few nights after Bhad Bhabie - whose real name is Danielle Bregoli - shared a video of her and her baby daddy Le Vaughn kissing in passionate makeout session on her stories on July 16. Bhad Bhabie, 21, and her baby daddy Le Vaughn were seen in a romantic embrace on Saturday outside of the Beverly Hills, California restaurant Avra, in the wake of domestic abuse allegations she made against him Bhad Bhabie, who is best known for her Cash Me Outside catchphrase, and Le Vaughn were witnessed 'hugging and smooching' by people on TMZ's Celebrity Tour bus She shared the footage - which had a very close POV of their kissing session - along with the song Coming Clean by Lil Durk. It appeared thought the video may be a throwback, as Bhad Bhabie shared two selfies right before with a different hair length. She also shared two busty snaps of herself, even tagging Le Vaughn in one of the images. Bhad Bhabie had detailed the violence she claims he subjected to her in early July, sharing CCTV footage that allegedly showed him and the physical altercation they had. In the recent selfies she posted, Bhad Bhabie wore a black corset style top with her tattoos in full view, wearing her red dyed locks back. The star tagged Le and wrote: 'Lucky you,' adding a four leaf clover. One week prior, the star posted two images of her face that showed her eye swollen and shut and bruising and swelling around her eyebrow and cheek. She deleted the images soon after posting them. Bhad Bhabie shared a video of her and her baby daddy Le Vaughn kissing in passionate makeout session on her stories on July 16 Bhad Bhabie shared the footage - which had a very close POV of their kissing session - along with the song Coming Clean by Lil Durk She shared a clip - which was dated June 30 - that allegedly showed her being thrown to the ground by a man she identified as Le Vaughn. Bhad Bhabie shares her daughter Kali Love with Le Vaughn, after they welcomed their first child together this past March. She wrote: 'This man think he gonna [sic] take my daughter from me! Say whatever you want, [trying to] take my baby is crazy.' Bhad Bhabie went on to directly address the domestic abuse allegations via her Instagram Stories. She said that she shared the footage and images to show him 'what he does is wrong' and urged him to 'take accountability' for his actions. She noted that she wanted him to 'make a real change' and that she loves him 'more than I love myself and it's honestly really sad,' calling it 'real life.' She added, 'He's going to get the help he needs' and said she that she didn't share it for people to 'attack him,' before deleting the posts soon after. The rapper also shared a poignant quote on Instagram: 'I used to tolerate a lot because I didnt want to lose people, but now I realize that those people arent my people.' She showcased her multiple tattoos in a set of social media posts last week Bhad Bhabie says she has made around $57 million via her efforts on OnlyFans Bhad Bhabie directly addressed the domestic abuse allegations via her Instagram Stories, revealing that she shared the footage and images to show him 'what he does is wrong' Danielle, who announced she had given birth on March 15, could be seen resting in bed with the newborn cradled in her arm The star shut down speculation they were back together after her domestic abuse allegations, a day later. In response to one fan's comment urging her to 'leave that man' or risk him abusing her in front of their daughter Kali, four months, Bhabie shed light on her current situation. 'I wasn't gonna speak on this but who said I was staying?' she wrote back. 'What about that post made y'all think I'm staying? 'Bc I said I love him? Bc I said he's gonna get help? I'm so confused and apparently so are y'all.' Kyle Sandilands has defended embattled Hollywood star Armie Hammer following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan on Friday. The 37-year-old Call Me By Your Name star has been away from the spotlight since 2021, when allegations emerged of sexual assault and cannibalism emerged. During the sit-down, Hammer was asked point blank by host Morgan if he is in fact a cannibal. Hammer told Morgan the allegations stemmed consensual sex acts and kinky role playing. When asked if he is in fact a cannibal, Hammer responded: 'You know what you have to do to be a cannibal? You have to have actually eaten somebody.' The actor confirmed he had not eaten anyone. During The Kyle and Jackie O on Monday, Sandilands, 53, shared his thoughts on the controversy that has left Hammer's career in tatters. He expressed his sympathy for the star, who has been ostracised by Hollywood and faced significant financial struggles after accusations of cannibalistic fantasies emerged from text messages allegedly sent by the actor. 'Now this guy's broke now all because obviously him and the girlfriend had some weird witty banter going on about, you know, "I love you so much I want to fry up your ribs",' Sandilands said. Kyle Sandilands has defended embattled Hollywood star Armie Hammer following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan on Friday 'Not my witty banter, but still I don't think it was enough for him to be cancelled out of Hollywood. Sandilands also pointed out the rapidity of the backlash against Hammer. 'When some ex throws some questionable texts out into the world, everyone just knee-jerk reacts and says, "Oh, the guy's a cannibal, he's no good",' he said. 'The world's very bad like this, have you noticed? This guy now has got no prospects, no money left. No. I feel a bit for him, since he's not actually eaten anyone.' Hammer's scandal erupted in early 2021 when graphic messages allegedly sent by him surfaced, describing violent sexual fantasies, including cannibalism. The fall-out was swift, with Hammer being dropped by his talent agency, PR team, and various film projects. Sandilands expressed his sympathy for Hammer (pictured), who has been ostracised by Hollywood and faced significant financial struggles after accusations of cannibalistic fantasies emerged from text messages allegedly sent by the actor Hammer reportedly spent six months in treatment after his life was upended by sexual assault allegations and claims he has a cannibalism fetish. During his interview with Morgan, the actor confirmed that he had not eaten anyone, but did admit to once tracing his initials into the thigh of ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze. However, he denied it was an attempt to brand her. 'There wasn't even any blood,' he said. Hammer confirmed to Morgan he did cheat on his ex-wife, Elizabeth Chambers, during their marriage before it fell apart in July 2020. Hammer also spoke about his relationship with Effie Angelova, who has accused him of sexual assault. He called their relationship a 'very intense affair, very sexuality charged, between two people with very similar proclivities and kinks.' During his interview with Morgan, the actor confirmed that he had not eaten anyone, but did admit to once tracing his initials into the thigh of ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze Hammer, 37, became emotional at points during the interview with Morgan. During one interaction, Morgan said that he was 'shocked' by Hammer's revelation During that segment, Hammer conceded that out of context, their conversations would seem troubling. 'Any of those conversations that we had inside of that relationship, when you take them outside of that context and put them into broad daylight, it doesn't look so good.' Hammer said that Angelova was more experienced in the world of kink than he was. 'Different people have different sexual fantasies. And there's a very broad spectrum of sexuality, and people are allowed to engage with their own sexuality however it fits them and what they do.' Kim Kardashian faced a wardrobe malfunction and hilariously enlisted the help of her sister Khloe Kardashian in her latest Instagram story. The reality star, 43, shared a clip of herself and her younger sister, 40, in the bathroom, as they battled to close her black SKIMS bodysuit. The mom-of-four filmed the fashion emergency in the mirror, wearing the shapewear as well as her jeans, which were pulled down her legs, while Khloe tried to get the closure of the bodysuit to snap. 'This is literally what sisters do,' Kim who recently attended Andrea Bocelli's concert with Khloe said while laughing, before adding, 'I can't snap my bodysuit.' Khloe joked, 'This is what girls do in the bathroom for so long. When they're like "What are you doing in there?"' Kim Kardashian, 43, faced a wardrobe malfunction and hilariously enlisted the help of her sister Khloe Kardashian, 40, in her latest Instagram story The reality star shared a clip of herself and her younger sister in the bathroom, as they battled to close her black SKIMS bodysuit At one point Khloe appeared to be close to giving up, as she muttered 'Oh my God' while Kim answered, 'It won't work, right? It's so short. But you got one.' Kim then tried to get into more of a sitting position for better access to the closure, though it did little to help Khloe, who said she was 'making it worse.' Kanye West's ex-wife then pondered, 'What am I going to do if I have to pee again?' A helpful Khloe reassured her, stating, 'I'll go right there with you.' Kim proceeded to rethink their bodysuit strategy, asking Khloe, 'Do I need to take my pants all the way off and spread my leg up?' But finally, with a strong tug, Khloe managed to get the bodysuit closed, and playfully gave Kim a number of smacks on her thighs in celebration. 'Things I find in my phone... thanks @khloekardashian,' Kim captioned the video. Earlier in the day Kim dazzled in red as she shared behind-the-scenes photos of her beauty prep on social media Sunday. The mom-of-four filmed the fashion emergency in the mirror, wearing the shapewear as well as her jeans, which were pulled down her legs, while Khloe tried to get the closure to snap 'This is literally what sisters do,' Kim said while laughing, before adding, 'I can't snap my bodysuit' Kim then tried to get into more of a sitting position for better access to the closure, though it did little to help Khloe, who said she was 'making it worse' Kim proceeded to rethink their strategy, asking Khloe, 'Do I need to take my pants all the way off and spread my leg up?' But just then Khloe managed to get the bodysuit closed The Skims founder flaunted her assets in a sheer ruby corseted gown. The plunging neckline and mesh cutouts with the boning from the corset seemed designed to cling to her curves. The sister duo have had a busy month. Earlier this week they attended Andrea Bocelli's 30th Anniversary concert at Teatro del Silenzio in Tuscany, Italy. Khloe showcased her gym honed physique in a sheer gown, revealing her black bra and matching underwear. The stunning Good American founder looked beautiful in the eye-catching look, as she walked besides her equally stunning sister. Kim looked like an Italian movie star in a plunging black Gucci logo dress with a matching scarf from the brand worn over her hair. She showcased her hourglass in the skintight number. The stunners were seen standing near the stage, greeting Maestro Bocelli at his event. Earlier in the day Kim dazzled in red as she shared behind-the-scenes photos of her beauty prep on social media Sunday The sister duo have had a busy month. Earlier this week they attended Andrea Bocelli's 30th Anniversary concert at Teatro del Silenzio in Tuscany, Italy; Pictured with Bocelli They also traveled to India for the splashy wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in July, wearing a number of traditional Indian looks Earlier this month they also traveled to India for the splashy wedding of Anant Ambani, the son of India's wealthiest man, and Radhika Merchant, the daughter of a wealthy pharmaceutical mogul. They both wore a number of traditional outfits that showcased their famous figures. One of Kim's outfits was a beautiful ruby red look that consisted of a lehenga with tassels on the bottom and a long skirt to which she added a sash. Khloe was just as gorgeous in a white and gold shimmering dress that included a top that flashed her tummy, a long skirt and a sash. However, a number of fans pointed out Kim's fashion faux pas, calling her out for wearing red and trying to upstage the bride not once but twice as a wedding guest at the newlyweds' lavish and star-studded three-day wedding ceremony in Mumbai. 'Not supposed to wear red to a wedding in India. That's saved for the bride,' one Instagram user penned in her comments section. As fans called out her fashion faux pas, it appeared the Ambanis did not mind as Kim was spotted enjoying a friendly exchange with the bride and groom and their family. The Simpsons, the longest-running animated series in history, has garnered a reputation for its uncanny ability to predict the future. In a surprising turn of events, another seemingly far-fetched foretelling will come to life tonight. It was back in 1996 when an episode of The Simpsons featured a joke where Cypress Hill believed they had mistakenly booked the London Symphony Orchestra whilst under the influence. Fast forward to tonight, and that joke becomes a reality at the Royal Albert Hall, where fans can watch the California collective play songs from their 90s album Black Sunday and other hits alongside the LSO. Cypress Hill said: 'We are thrilled to be performing with the London Symphony Orchestra in such a prestigious venue as the Royal Albert Hall. It's a dream come true, a collaboration only The Simpsons could have predicted.' As fans eagerly anticipate this unique collaboration, let's take a look at some of the most eerie predictions from The Simpsons that have come true over the years, from AI robots' takeover to Donald Trump running for U.S. presidency... twice. In 1996, an episode of The Simpsons featured a joke where Cypress Hill believed they had mistakenly booked the London Symphony Orchestra whilst under the influence Fast forward to tonight, and that joke becomes a reality at the Royal Albert Hall, where fans can watch the California collective play songs from their 90s album Black Sunday 1. Donald Trump running for U.S. presidency and 2024 campaign Perhaps one of the most famous predictions was in the show's 2000 episode "Bart to the Future." Lisa Simpson becomes President of the United States and references the presidency of Donald Trump. Sixteen years later, Trump was elected as the 45th President of the United States, making this one of the most famous predictions from the show, and now speculation mounts about Trump's current 2024 run. In the same episode, Homer Simpson can be seen flying past a billboard in the background, which reads: "Trump 2024." It may be purely coincidence - but this occurred before Trump was ever president. Perhaps one of the most famous predictions was in the show's 2000 episode "Bart to the Future" 2. AI robots' takeover In the 2012 episode of season 23, titled "Them, Robot," Homer loses his job at the nuclear plant after his employer Mr. Burns replaces all members of staff with robots. Over two decades on, the world has seen a rapid development of artificial intelligence, resulting in robots serving as waiters in Japan along with self-driving Tesla cars. 3. Ebola outbreak In a scene from the 1997 episode, "Lisa's Sax," Marge Simpson can be seen holding a book titled "Curious George and the Ebola Virus." Although Ebola was first discovered in 1976, Ebola had its largest outbreak on record in 2014 and 2015, which resulted in over 11,000 deaths across the globe. 4. Smartwatches In the episode "Lisa's Wedding," which aired in 1995, characters are seen using watch-like devices to communicate. This prediction came true with the advent of smartwatches like the Apple Watch and other wearable tech. 5. The FIFA corruption scandal In the 2014 episode, "You Don't Have to Live Like a Referee," Homer becomes a referee at the World Cup and exposes corruption within the soccer organisation. A year after the episode aired, a real-life scandal erupted involving top FIFA officials being indicted for corruption and bribery. In the 2014 episode, "You Don't Have to Live Like a Referee," Homer becomes a referee at the World Cup and exposes corruption within the soccer organisation A year after the episode aired, a real-life scandal erupted involving top FIFA officials - including Alejandro Burzaco (centre) - being indicted for corruption and bribery 6. Disney buying 20th Century Fox In "When You Dish Upon a Star," which was aired in 1998, a sign reading "20th Century Fox, a Division of Walt Disney Co." appears. Just under a decade later, in 2017, Disney announced its acquisition of 21st Century Fox in a $52.4 billion deal, bringing the eerie prediction to fruition. 7. Lady Gaga's Super Bowl performance In the 2012 episode, "Lisa Goes Gaga," the Bad Romance singer performs a concert that involved being suspended in the air. During the Super Bowl LI halftime show in 2017, Lady Gaga made a grand entrance: descending from the stadium roof trapeze-style while singing, mirroring her performance in the animated series. In the 2012 episode, "Lisa Goes Gaga," the Bad Romance singer performs a concert that involved being suspended in the air During the Super Bowl LI halftime show in 2017, Lady Gaga made a grand entrance : descending from the stadium roof trapeze-style while singing (stock image) 7. Faulty voting machines in the U.S. election In the "Treehouse of Horror XIX" episode, aired in 2008, Homer attempts to vote for Barack Obama, but the voting machine repeatedly registers his vote for John McCain. In the 2012 United States presidential election, there were reports of ballot machines flipping votes from Obama to Mitt Romney in the state of Pennsylvania, which resulted in a machine being removed from voting booths. In the "Treehouse of Horror XIX" episode, aired in 2008, Homer attempts to vote for Barack Obama, but the voting machine repeatedly registers his vote for John McCain In the 2012 United States presidential election, there were reports of ballot machines flipping votes from Obama (pictured, left) to Mitt Romney (right) in the state of Pennsylvania 8. Nobel Prize winner In the 2010 episode "The Simpsons," Milhouse predicts that Bengt. R. Holmstrom will win the Nobel Peace Prize in Economics. In 2016, Holmstrom, alongside fellow economist Oliver Hart, won the prestigious award for their work on improving the design of contracts and the deals that bind together employers and their workers, according to The New York Times. 9. Siegfried & Roy tiger attack In the episode "$pringfield," which was aired in 1993, a white tiger attacks a pair of fictional magicians named Gunter and Ernst. In 2003, Roy Horn of the famous duo Siegfried & Roy was left partially paralysed and confined to a wheelchair after being attacked by Montecore, a 400-pound white Bengal tiger, during a live performance. The legendary magician later died aged 75 of complications from the coronavirus in a Las Vegas hospital in 2020. In the episode "$pringfield," which was aired in 1993, a white tiger attacks a pair of fictional magicians named Gunter and Ernst Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy, died after testing positive for COVID-19. He is pictured above performing with a white tiger during the duo's 15,000th live show in 1996 10. Video calling In the 1995 episode, "Lisa's Wedding," characters use video phones to communicate. This prediction became reality with the widespread adoption of video calling services such as Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom. 11. Greece's economic crisis In the episode "Politically Inept, with Homer Simpson," aired in 2012, a ticker on a news show reads "Europe puts Greece on eBay." Just a few years later, Greece experienced a severe economic crisis that led to austerity measures and bailouts. 12. Richard Branson's space race Images of Sir Richard Branson enjoying a spaceflight went viral in 2021 after the businessman, 73, launched himself towards the stars, in a bizarre case of real life imitating art. The entrepreneur successfully earned his astronaut wings after travelling to the edge of space on board a Virgin Galactic flight, making him the first spaceflight founder to travel to space on his own ship. Video of the magnate was beamed back to earth as he experienced weightlessness and floated around the cabin of the vessel. The footage was strangely similar to a scene in a 2014 episode of The Simpsons called The War of Art, from the show's 25th series. Images of Sir Richard Branson enjoying a spaceflight went viral in 2021 after the businessman, 73, launched himself towards the stars, in a bizarre case of real life imitating art A scene from HBO's Veep went viral on Sunday, as Julia Louis-Dreyfus' character drew comparisons to Vice President Kamala Harris. Following the news that President Joe Biden, 81, has dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed Harris, 59, fans began sharing a hilarious clip from the political satire comedy. In the show, the actress, 63, plays self-absorbed and ambitious politician Selina Meyer, the Vice President, who later becomes the President of the United States. The clip shows her team's shocked reactions as she lets them know that she's going to run for President. 'I'm not leaving. POTUS is leaving. He's not going to run for a second term. I'm gonna run. I'm gonna run for president!' she excitedly tells them. A scene from HBO 's Veep went viral on Sunday, as Julia Louis-Dreyfus', 63, character drew comparisons to Vice President Kamala Harris, 59 Following the news that President Joe Biden, 81, dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed Harris, fans began sharing a hilarious clip from the political satire comedy; Harris seen July 18 Veep is a documentary. pic.twitter.com/TIEYn2SiiX Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 21, 2024 'I did not see that coming,' one person replies. 'Leader Meyer, team Veep on fire!' another jokes. 'Let's go to the f*****g moon!' someone else on her team declares, while yet another team member adds, 'I was this close to living on my boat.' 'Veep is a documentary,' one fan wrote on Twitter, while re-sharing the scene from the show. 'The accuracy of Veep is way too scary at times!' someone else added. 'Veep writers called it holy s**t,' another added. 'Will literally never get over the fact that were living through the plot of Veep in real time.' Yet another fan called the clip 'a prophecy.' In the show, the actress plays self-absorbed and ambitious politician Selina Meyer, the Vice President, who later becomes the President of the United States The clip shows her team's shocked reactions as she lets them know that she's going to run for President 'I'm not leaving. POTUS is leaving. He's not going to run for a second term. I'm gonna run. I'm gonna run for president!' she excitedly tells them Veep aired on HBO from 2012 to 2019, and followed Meyer as she navigated the tumultuous world of Washington D.C.; Julia pictured with Gary Cole, Andrew Daly, Kevin Dunn, and Tony Hale in a 2012 still from the show In 2020 Louis-Dreyfus congratulated Harris by tweeting that the idea of a 'Madam Vice President' is' no longer fictional' Julia also congratulated Biden at the time Veep aired on HBO from 2012 to 2019, and followed Meyer as she navigated the tumultuous world of Washington D.C. Louis-Dreyfus' supporting cast consisted of her Chief of Staff Mike McLintock (played by Matt Walsh), her ambitious aide Amy Brookheimer (played by Anna Chlumsky), her clueless assistant Gary Walsh (Tony Hale), and her incompetent communications director Jonah Ryan (portrayed by Timothy Simons). The show ran for seven seasons. It won numerous awards, including multiple Emmys. In 2020 Louis-Dreyfus congratulated Harris by tweeting that the idea of a 'Madam Vice President' is 'no longer fictional.' She also congratulated Biden at the time. Another show going viral amid the breaking political news was The Simpsons. A number of users on X/Twitter pointed out the latest coincidence involving the long-running Fox cartoon, as a 2000 episode of the Fox series included Lisa Simpson in a purple suit comparable to the one worn by Harris during the inauguration in 2021. The meme went viral Sunday as Biden left the race, endorsing Harris to take his slot in the presidential race, about a month before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. At the inauguration of Biden, held on January 20, 2021, Harris was clad in a purple ensemble designed by Christopher John Rogers with Sergio Hudson-designed shoes and a necklace from Wilfredo Rosado. Actress and Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Claudia Jordan posted a side-by-side shot of Harris alongside Simpson, writing, 'Not for nothing but the Simpsons already predicted this....' Another show going viral amid the breaking political news was The Simpsons, after fans compared Lisa Simpson in a purple suit to the outfit worn by Harris during the inauguration in 2021 Biden left the race on Sunday, endorsing Harris to take his slot in the presidential race, about a month before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago; Harris and Biden seen July 14 Another user noted, 'The Simpsons has done it again! Here's from the 17th episode of the 11th season (in the year 2000) showing Lisa Simpson as the first female president of the United States talking about how the country is broke after President Trump. And, here's Kamala wearing the same outfit at Biden's inauguration.' Biden made the announcement in shocking fashion, simply posting a digitally-signed letter to his social media accounts Sunday afternoon. Polls are showing mixed signals for Harris, with some overall positives but potential flaws in the key swing states. National polling averages show Harris trailing Biden 48 to 46 percent, according to the New York Times. That is an improvement on Biden's scores in the same polls, which showed Donald Trump beating him 47-44. Mel Schilling has shared a very hopeful update on her cancer battle. The Married At First Sight relationship expert posted to Instagram this weekend to reveal she is celebrating completing her last round of chemotherapy. The 52-year-old posed up a storm with husband Gareth Brisbane, absolutely beaming for the camera. The smiling pair went out to a well deserved lunch date to mark the milestone. 'Date lunch with the big guy to celebrate my impending FINAL round of chemo,' Mel wrote in the caption. 'Lovely day on the river, beautiful food, a sip of wine and optimism all round'. Mel was less optimistic in May when going through chemotherapy and admitted it had gotten difficult to cope with the side effects. The therapist announced she had been diagnosed with the disease in December and has subsequently undergone surgery and chemo. Mel Schilling has shared a very hopeful update on her cancer battle. The 52-year-old posed up a storm with husband Gareth Brisbane, absolutely beaming for the camera. Both pictured 'It's getting tough now,' she admitted to The Mirror at the time. 'I'm about halfway through and it's getting hard. Feeling fatigued and nauseous is a bigger part of my everyday life. 'It feels like I'm hungover or pregnant every day, which is not fun,' she continued. Mel added she's been undergoing treatment during her move to the UK with her husband Gareth. 'I don't do things by halves. It's been a tricky time as I've been adjusting to going through that and moving house,' she said. Mel, who is an ambassador for the colorectal charity Occtopus, recently spoke to UK's Magic FM about her health. The Married At First Sight relationship expert posted to Instagram this weekend to reveal she is celebrating completing her last round of chemotherapy 'I'm feeling a little flat today actually, to be totally honest with you,' she said. Mel added that she is now on her third cycle of chemotherapy. 'It sort of feels like being hungover, like I've been drinking all night.' Despite this, the media personality expressed her determination to keep working and has no intention of slowing down. 'I'm just now trying to find the way to juggle everything, because I'm not stopping working. This thing is not beating me, I'm here to fight, I just need to make some adaptions,' she continued. It comes after Mel told of the agony she was left in before her cancer diagnosis. Speaking to New! magazine, Mel recalled the severe pain she was in while at work, saying: 'I was doubled over and shouting - the pain was so intense.' Her doctors originally thought her symptoms were simply constipation but she soon became concerned after losing her appetite. On a trip to Ireland with her husband Mel said she was in 'so much pain' and struggled to hold down food or water. Mel was less optimistic in May when going through chemotherapy and admitted it had gotten difficult to cope with the side effects Knowing something was still wrong, she went to see a gastroenterologist after returning to London who was 'concerned' about her unexplained weight loss. Mel had a CT scan and returned a few days later to get her results, recalling the heart-breaking moment she was told she had cancer. She said: 'We were sitting in his office and the doctor had a blank look and I thought, 'This doesn't seem right,' and he said, "It's cancer." I think I was numb, I didn't process it and I went into work mode, that's all I could focus on.' The reality TV host revealed her shock health battle in December and underwent colon surgery just before the end of the year. She explained that her tumour - which she has named 'Terry' - was removed by UK doctors. However, as the cancer spread through her colon into the muscle, Mel discovered she needed chemotherapy and began treatment at the end of February. Sophie Morgan has been branded a 'troublemaker' by airline bosses after campaigning to improve air travel for disabled people. The presenter is spearheading a campaign called Rights on Flights, which is calling on the UK government to make using aeroplanes more accessible for disabled people after Sophie's wheelchair was broken three times in just one year while flying. She is fighting to give the disabled community more rights on aeroplanes after her Channel 4 documentary Sophie Morgan's Fight to Fly, which airs Monday evening, exposed the inhumane ways wheelchair users are treated on board. But after calling out her own mistreatment and speaking on behalf of her large following, who she says messages in their droves about their troubled experiences, Sophie, 39, has become even more 'distressed' by the attitude of airline bosses. The Loose Women panellist says as a result of their reluctance to make changes, which she hopes will not only be met by the government and new legislation, but the way aircrafts are designed in the future, the disabled community aren't flying at all. Sophie Morgan has been branded a 'troublemaker' by airline bosses after campaigning to improve air travel for disabled people The TV presenter is spearheading a campaign called Rights on Flights, which is calling on the UK government to make using aeroplanes more accessible for disabled people after Sophie's wheelchair was broken three times in just one year while flying She is fighting to give the disabled community more rights on aeroplanes after her Channel 4 documentary Sophie Morgan's Fight to Fly, which airs Monday evening, exposed the inhumane ways wheelchair users are treated on board Sophie told MailOnline: 'My wheelchair was broken three times last year even when I was running the campaign. 'I am very distressed by the attitudes of the airlines now, the amount of hot air I have been spun and I've been told through the grapevine how much of a 'troublemaker' they think I am. I just think... okay but I'm the good type of trouble. 'I'm not just doing this for me so I can go on holiday, I am doing this for the countless number of people that message me on a weekly basis ever since I put my head above the parapet with this, saying "I need your help" or "I won't fly" or "my children are too scared" or "my son is a wheelchair user and he can't transfer out of his chair so now he can't fly anymore." 'The consequences of the ableism in this industry is that countless of disabled people aren't flying. Every human being has an access requirement and the fact that the airlines don't seem to accommodate anybody's needs but one particular body type, it makes it so hard for everybody.' Sophie's Channel 4 documentary sees the TV star send a group of disabled friends undercover on flights from the UK to various destinations in Europe while recording the difficulties they face on camera. The result exposed the 'dangerous' and 'unsafe' behaviours of the airlines as well as the 'undignified' way disabled customers are treated, from having their wheelchairs confiscated upon boarding to being placed in a machine which doesn't suit their individual needs. Disabled passengers are even forced to 'starve' and 'dehydrate' themselves because lack of accessibility and support means they're unable to use the toilet. During one shocking scene, a gentleman, who is a wheelchair user, was made to sit on the floor of a Whizz Air flight and pushed himself by his hands along the aircraft to use the restroom because no aisle chair was available. Sophie's Channel 4 documentary sees the TV star send a group of disabled friends undercover on flights from the UK to various destinations in Europe while recording the difficulties they face on camera Disabled passengers are even forced to 'starve' and 'dehydrate' themselves because lack of accessibility and support means they're unable to use the toilet Sophie has been disabled since the age of 18 when she was in a car accident and paralysed from the chest down and told she would never walk again She has since established a successful TV career and this summer will be the first woman in a wheelchair to present the Paralympics for US broadcaster NBC following her recent move to Los Angeles (pictured May 2023) Sophie explained: 'As it stands, the way that an aeroplane is designed is completely discriminatory. 'We have to have our wheelchairs and mobility devices removed from us when we arrive at the aircraft door. On no other form of transport does that happen. 'The reason why it's so dangerous and I say dangerous deliberately and I would even go as far as to say abusive is because we are not only taken out of our devices, which are typically bespoke to us, we get put into these other wheelchairs to take us on board a plane and these wheelchairs are very small and not very well designed. 'You often feel you're going to fall out and people often do, there's a fear of getting injured and by the time you get to your seat, if you're lucky enough to be boarded first so you have a bit of dignity and privacy, and that doesn't always happen... 'The other day I boarded last, and everyone was watching and staring at me, it's all very undignified, but then you can't move around the cabin if you're someone like me. Both your body and equipment are at risk because it's out of your sight. 'We starve ourselves and get dehydrated on board because we can't get to the toilet, or our wheelchairs get lost or damaged. So many of us have ignored these problems or are outright just refusing to fly because it's so hard.' Sophie has been disabled since the age of 18 when she was in a car accident and paralysed from the chest down and told she would never walk again. She has since established a successful TV career and this summer will be the first woman in a wheelchair to present the Paralympics for US broadcaster NBC following her recent move to Los Angeles. The activist hopes Fight to Fly will not only expose the 'horrifying' conditions disabled flyers have been made to endure for decades but urge the improvement of aircraft design and the training received by air travel staff. The activist hopes Fight to Fly will not only expose the 'horrifying' conditions disabled flyers have been made to endure for decades but urge the improvement of aircraft design and the training received by air travel staff Sophie said: 'I feel really grateful I've had cameras rolling on this situation because it's something I have been dealing with for 20 years and many others like me have been dealing with for as long as there have been aeroplanes. 'For us it isn't new news but for many others it is so revelatory and exposing and shocking and at times really quite horrifying. But for us it's normalised and understood. 'If I go back, the main reason I got into television is because when I became disabled when I was 18, I realised then how overlooked our lived experience is by other people. I found myself constantly looking around me and saying, 'does everybody know that this is what we have to deal with?' 'We want to see an improvement in the design of aircrafts and we need training, so making sure that everybody who handles a person with a disability, they have training on how to handle us and our equipment better. 'I won't go into too much detail, but we do find a solution, which is so exciting. The prototype that is about to come out will change our lives for the better. 'A lot of people watching the documentary will say "well it is a plane" like we do with old buildings in the UK, people say, "you can't expect there to be access"... But no, what's more important? A plane or a person?' Charlotte Dawson has revealed that she had to rush her baby son Jude to hospital on Friday, after he suffered a nasty fall at nursery. The Ex On The Beach star, 31, shares sons Noah, three, and Jude, 11 months, with her fiance Matt Sarsfield and regularly posts insights into their family life. But on Sunday, she took to her Instagram to explain why she had been absent for the weekend, admitting she had been shook up by her little boy's injury. Charlotte explained that Jude had fallen and knocked out his tooth, previously posting a snap of his bloody mouth. Last week, she told her followers: 'My little angel fell at nursery and his front tooth has fell [sic] out. His mouth keeps bleeding. Charlotte Dawson has revealed that she had to rush her baby son Jude to hospital on Friday, after he suffered a nasty fall at nursery The Ex On The Beach star, 31, shares sons Noah, three, and Jude, 11 months, with her fiance Matt Sarsfield and regularly posts insights into their family life But on Sunday, she took to her Instagram to explain why she had been absent for the weekend, admitting she had been shook up by her little boy's injury 'What does this mean they don't grow back until there [sic] older. Just want to take the pain away from him.' And in an update, she explained she had taken Jude to hospital to get checked out, but that they weren't able to determine how the damage will effect his adult teeth, saying it was 'just a waiting game'. Charlotte wrote: 'Sorry I've been a little quieter than usual I've just not felt my happy self & I only like posting when I am. 'I've had so many msgs about Judey and asking if he's ok and if I'm ok Just knocked me about Judey loosing his tooth at nursery but I went to a&e & emergency dentist yesterday they believe his full tooth is up in his gum and they don't know whether it will come down or it might come down they don't know.. 'they don't know whether it's damaged his adult tooth they couldn't do an xray they said. So will hopefully get some answers this week and go to the dentist.' She added: 'just in time for your 1st birthday Judey, he had the most perfect teeth that came through such a shame but atleast he's ok. 'He's so brave & still the happiest cherub but it's just awful seeing your baby in pain .. lots of mummy cuddles & kissys'. 'Ps thank you for all your stories it's so bloody common these kids come to test us hahahah.' And in an update, she explained she had taken Jude to hospital to get checked out, but that they weren't able to determine how the damage will effect his adult teeth, saying it was 'just a waiting game' Alongside her post, she shared a heartwarming video of her cuddling Jude and asking him to give her kisses Alongside her post, she shared a heartwarming video of her cuddling Jude and asking him to give her kisses. It comes after Charlotte got very candid about her dwindling sex life with fiance Matt last week and joked her kids are 'c***blocking' her. The mother-of-two has just launched her brand-new podcast Charlotte Dawson's Naughty Corner, as a place for mothers to share parenting mistakes they have made that would land them in the naughty corner. In the first episode, Charlotte told her co-host Janine Marsh how both Noah and Jude have negatively impacted her and Matt's sex life. She recalled a specific incident with Matt in an infinity pool, during a family holiday to the Maldives in April. Charlotte began: 'So, I was recently in the Maldives, which was fabulous. And me and Matthew felt - I think it was the heat - Matthew's like, "Come on, we need to". 'It's like we have to book sex in now. It used to be a couple of times a week, now it's like once every two months. 'So, Matthew's like, "Come on, it's been a while, now." And I'm like, I know, but I just can't be arsed." It comes after Charlotte got very candid about her dwindling sex life with fiance Matt last week and joked her kids are 'c***blocking' her (pictured with Matt) The mother-of-two has just launched her brand-new podcast Charlotte Dawson's Naughty Corner , as a place for mothers to share parenting mistakes they have made that would land them in the naughty corner In the first episode, Charlotte told her co-host Janine Marsh how both Noah and Jude (pictured) have negatively impacted her and Matt's sex life 'But, we had this lovely infinity pool, it was amazing. And we kept getting in the pool with Noah and Jude, obviously, but Jude was having a little sleep.' Despite not being in the mood previously, something about the pool changed Charlotte's mind. She continued: 'Me and Matt and Noah were in the pool and we were just looking at each other. And for some reason we were both just like two animals, saying: "I wanna eat ya!" 'We were looking at Noah and he was playing with his little Avengers and I was like, "What should we do? Noah's just there." 'We were obviously kissing and stuff, just having a cuddle and a kiss, I think that's nice to do that in front of your kids. Not sexual kissing like not a proper snog. 'Sometimes it's nice when he sees us and says, "Ah, Mummy and Daddy!" And comes and joins us and has a cuddle and really c***blocks us.' 'So, we obviously had a kiss and a cuddle and we were looking at him, like, "What should we do, here? Do you reckon we'll get away with it, or what?" 'We actually voted against it. We had to vote against it which we were absolutely devastated about because we were ready and raring. It would have been a bloody belting sexual thing happening there.' Eva Longoria made sure to get the party going at the Global Gift gala dinner in Marbella as she climbed on the table and danced all night long on Sunday night. The Desperate Housewives star, 49, kicked off the celebrations and let her hair down as the night went dark. Dressed in a glamorous red satin dress, Eva made sure all eyes were on her as she got up on the table first. The actress went wild as she showed off her best dance moves while singling along to music as fellow partygoers watched. Shortly after she jumped on the table, other attendees joined the beauty to dance along. Eva Longoria, 49, made sure to get the party going at the Global Gift gala dinner in Marbella as she climbed on the table and danced all night long on Sunday night The Desperate Housewives star kicked off the celebrations and let her hair down as the night went dark Eva looked sensational in a figure-hugging red satin gown which featured ripped cut out panels across the chest, neck and stomach. At the start of the night, as she posed for a snap alongside Vicky Martin Berrocal, it seemed Eva had an issue with her dress. Supporting Eva on the red carpet, Vicky helped Eva adjust a part of the dress before they were ready to pose again. Following the quick adjustment, the two stunning ladies were then spotted giggling away in front of the cameras. Eva's appearance on the carpet came just days after she looked more loved-up than ever with husband Jose Antonio as they packed on the PDA during a beach day in Marbella on Thursday. She showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a blue bikini as she kissed Jose, 56, at a beach club. The actress looked completely relaxed as she sipped on a glass of wine while enjoying a family day out with their son Santiago, six. Eva looked sensational in the blue two-piece as she walked along the beach while taking a phone call before collecting Santiago's toys up. Dressed in a glamorous red satin dress, Eva made sure all eyes were on her by being the first to get up on the table Actress Maria Bravo (C) later joined Eva on the table to dance The actress went wild as she showed off her best dance moves while singling along to music, while onlookers watched Eva literally jumped for joy during the boozy celebrations Shortly after she jumped on the table, other attendees joined the beauty to dance along Eva couldn't wipe the smile off her face throughout the night Kicking off the party, Eva stood up from her seat to start singing and dancing She laughed along with industry friends and colleagues Eva looked sensational in a figure-hugging red satin gown which featured ripped cut out panels across the chest, neck and stomach At the start of the night, as she posed for a snap alongside Vicky Martin Berrocal, it seemed Eva had an issue with her dress Supporting Eva on the red carpet, Vicky helped Eva adjust a part of the dress before they were ready to pose again Following the quick touch up, the two stunning ladies were then spotted giggling away in front of the cameras The family relocated to Marbella from Los Angeles in 2023 after purchasing a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mega mansion on the Spanish coast. Eva and and the Mexican businessman recently slashed the price of their eight-bedroom Beverly Hills pad from $22.8 to $18.9 million - and have already started shipping their belongings to their newly renovated Marbella home. 'Eva and Jose are leaving Los Angeles for good and have put their home up for sale again,' a source told DailyMail.com exclusively in April. 'They took it off the market in June but recently relisted it for $4 million less in February because they are just ready to get out.' This is still $5.4 million more than what they splashed out to purchase the 11,000 square-foot home in 2017. 'They are already shipping their belongings there and this is not something that they will change their mind on. 'They want to raise their son in a place where he will be surrounded by nature and beauty and not be sucked into the whole Hollywood cycle.' The source added: 'They are moving to their home in Spain full time and are both so excited about it. She has had everything that she wanted in Hollywood.' The actress and husband Jose, 56, tied the knot in 2016 and are proud parents of son Santiago, six. They now live in Marbella full time Eva purchased a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mega mansion in Marbella in early 2023, with the couple hiring architect and interior designer Nicolas Escanez to help renovate. The 1,531-square-meter villa also boasts an indoor pool, sauna, and a state-of-the-art home gym. In January, Texan-born Eva debuted their luxurious property in HELLO! magazine and told the publication: 'The first time I came to Marbella, two decades ago, it was love at first sight. I said to myself: "Some day I'll live here." 'Later, we set up the Global Gift Foundation, and this is where Antonio Banderas, my best friend Maria Bravo and I held the first gala.' Speaking about finding the house, she continued: 'Five years ago, I said to Nico, who's very clued-up about property: "When you see the right place, let me know." 'I viewed a few places, but nothing was quite what I wanted. Finally, in early 2023, this house came on the market. It needed refurbishing, but it had just the size and location I was after. 'So, taking advantage of the fact that I was in Barcelona filming, I came down and bought it that same day.' Eva has Spanish citizenship and, in 2022, was given the honorary title 'Dame' due to her family roots tracing back to the Spanish city of Oviedo, where her ancestors are from. Tully Smyth was accused of 'photoshopping' some of her selfies this week. The former Big Brother Australia star was singled out by Instagram account celeb_spellcheck, who posted two images with anomalies. One photo showed an oddly bending door frame, and a strange shape to her long black dress. A second image included a sloping door, making the changeroom the beauty was in look quite titled. 'Would you tell your friend to take down an obviously photoshopped post?' the caption read, while the comments were turned off. Tully appeared to respond to the accusation, reposting the black dress image with no anomalies. 'Forget the little black dress, it's all about the long black dress,' she wrote, adding '(Take 2)' alongside a laughing emoji. 'Handled like a champ, you look stunning,' wrote one of her followers in the comments and Tully replied with an emoji blowing a kiss. Tully Smyth (pictured) was accused of 'photoshopping' some of her selfies this week. One photo showed an oddly bending door frame, and a strange shape to her long black dress A second image included a sloping door, making the changeroom the beauty was in look quite titled Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Tully Smyth for further comment. It comes after the former reality star 'hard launched' her new relationship late last year. The influencer, 36, took to social media to show off her new beau, Ned Rohrt. The internet personality shared a series of loved-up pictures with Rohrt, a Melbourne-based dentist, along with a caption inspired by Taylor Swift's hit song Karma. Adopting Swift's lyrics, the caption read: 'Karma is the guy with the teeth, coming straight home to me.' Tully appeared to respond to the accusation, reposting the black dress image with no anomalies 'Forget the little black dress, it's all about the long black dress' she wrote, adding '(Take 2)' alongside a laughing emoji Tully's reference to teeth no doubt reflects Ned's profession, but also his perfectly straight and white smile shown off in her images. According to the website of Ned's clinical practice, the handsome dentist has a particular interest in Oral Surgery and Cosmetic Dentistry. Based on her most recent posts, Tully and Ned are still madly in love and going strong. The new love came just seven months after Tully split with her boyfriend of two years, Daniel Parisi. The Instagram couple called it quits as they struggled to make their relationship work after Daniel moved to the US for his dream job. Charlotte Hawkins was forced to correct Springwatch host Chris Packham twice during their toe-curling interview on Monday's GMB. The Good Morning Britain host, 49, had to interject when Chris, 63, repeatedly mistook Charlotte for her colleague Susanna Reid. Chris was invited onto the show via video link with Charlotte and Richard Madeley to discuss the recent Just Stop Oil protests after five activists were jailed. While Charlotte didn't bother correcting Chris the first time, the heated conversation took an awkward turn when Chris forgot it a second time. Chris, who doesn't agree with the jail term time the activists received, said: 'I am not happy at all, no, Susanna simply because they're unduly punitive. Charlotte Hawkins, 49, was forced to correct Springwatch host Chris Packham, 63, twice during their toe-curling interview on Monday's GMB with Richard Madeley The Good Morning Britain host had to interject when Chris repeatedly mistook Charlotte for her colleague Susanna Reid 'We see people who are committing violent crimes, we see people that are committing sexual offences, getting less time than these protesters.' He added: 'So I think we just need to keep things in perspective, and one other thing I need to be very clear about is the laws that punish these protesters are not specific to climate activism. 'They could be implemented at any time to persecute and prosecute people who want to complain about gender rights, trans rights, the right to strike, it could be anything. 'So we have a broader concern about the way the judiciary is acting and the way that these laws are being implemented.' Chris later slammed the media for not highlighting a particular protest that he rallied in on the streets of London to highlight concerns for biodiversity loss. He said: 'A few weeks ago, two more Just Stop Oil protesters threw some cornstarch over Stonehenge. It was all over the media. 'Everyone focused upon that and was condemning that protest because it's a national monument, which we love and treasure. 'The following Saturday, I and others put 100,000 people on the streets of London in the largest march before our election to highlight our concerns for biodiversity loss. It was covered by none of the media. Chris was invited onto the show via video link to discuss the recent Just Stop Oil protests after five activists were jailed While Charlotte didn't bother correcting Chris the first time, the heated conversation took an awkward turn when Chris forgot it a second time Chris, who doesn't agree with the jail term of the activists, said: 'I am not happy at all, no, Susanna simply because they're unduly punitive' (pictured at the Restore Nature Now protest) 'We see people who are committing violent crimes, we see people that are committing sexual offences, getting less time than these protesters', he added Chris later slammed the media for not highlighting a particular protest that he rallied in on the streets of London to highlight concerns for biodiversity loss Following Chris' statement, it forced Charlotte to defend the media's amount of coverage on the protests Chris interrupted: 'Susanna, you do...' Before Charlotte promptly corrected: 'It is Charlotte, by the way but I know you can't see us' (pictured in April) 'If you guys don't actually get the message across and only focus on the means of protest, then, of course, protesters will have to escalate their protest, and that's to make sure that peaceful direct protest is properly covered by the media.' Following Chris' statement, it forced Charlotte to defend the media's amount of coverage on the protests. She said: 'Well sorry Chris... I just want to say you know, we do a lot here to talk about climate change. 'Laura, our weather presenter has been talking about the fact that it's a climate emergency today. 'She's got a clock ticking and is counting down on her desk right now showing people very visibly about that. 'So you know, we do kind of cover those things as well. But I think in this particular one..' Chris interrupted: 'Susanna, you do...' Before Charlotte promptly corrected: 'It is Charlotte, by the way but I know you can't see us.' An MP has called out vile trolls who bombard her with disgusting messages bringing up her past life as a sex worker. Georgie Purcell, who represents the Animal Justice Party in the Victorian Parliament, revealed confronting posts on Instagram on Monday. The 31-year-old former lawyer shared a series of sick profiles - some faceless and nameless - shamelessly commenting on her image, mocking her sex worker past and even demanding nudes. In the post, the tattooed MP looks defiant in black bike pants and a crop top, paired with a geometric bum bag. She rests her hand on her hip and hides her gaze behind reflective sunglasses. Ms Purcell captioned the frame, 'Always a fun time skimming through my DMs', as shocking screen grabs hovered around her image. 'I see boobies,' read one message, while another asked Purcell to, 'show nudes.' Another message claimed, 'I never disrespect you with my comments. I'm just playful and sexual. I fancy you because you are hot, my messages are compliments. If you are ugly I won't send any of those texts. You should feel flattered.' 'You suck so bad. Trying to stop people enjoying their lives. Hey stop spending two hours on makeup a day, how does that feel? Not fair? You suck!' read another. Elsewhere, another message referenced Ms Purcell's sex worker past. Georgie Purcell, who represents the Animal Justice Party in the Victorian Legislative Council, has shared confronting images from online trolls. Pictured Ms Purcell, 31, took to Instagram on Monday to shares a series of vile profiles - some faceless and nameless - shamelessly commenting on her image, mocking her sex worker past and even demanding nudes 'You sell your body for a penny and then become a people representative?' the comment began. 'Honestly, sex workers should have the same rights as animals, not humans! Dirty,' the troll continued. In her caption, Ms Purcell revealed she's often trolled and has set up alternate avenues of communication with her followers. 'I miss so many genuine messages wading through s**t like this, so I have a highlight pinned to my profile with my contact details,' she wrote. Ms Purcell is the youngest woman in any Australian parliament and the second youngest ever to be elected to Victoria's Legislative Council. As well as racking up over 180,000 followers on social media, and holding a double degree in in law and communications and politics, the MP uses her past as a sex worker to uproot sexism and misogyny. In the post, the tattooed MP looks defiant in black bike pants and a crop top, paired with a geometric bum bag. She rests her hand on her hip and hides her gaze behind reflective sunglasses Ms Purcell captioned the frame, 'Always a fun time skimming through my DMs', as shocking screen grabs hovered around her image Ms Purcell previously opened up to Daily Mail Australia about the horrifying moment photos of her working as a stripper while studying law at uni were leaked online. Then aged 19, she thought her future dreams of working in law or politics were over after she came across the photos posted on Facebook. 'I worked far away from where I studied and grew up so I wouldn't meet anyone I knew, and while I felt there was nothing wrong with that line of work, I knew many others would think otherwise,' Ms Purcell said. 'Then one day I was sitting at the hairdresser and when I logged into Facebook, I saw I was tagged in a picture without my consent which showed me working as a stripper and there were tonnes of comments.' 'I grew up in a small country town in Geelong so everyone kind of knows everyone and it just spread really quickly and viciously,' she revealed. Julie Christie showed off her youthful beauty and chic style earlier this month, as she was spotted out in London with her husband Duncan Campbell. The Oscar-winning actress, 84, looked as glamorous as ever in her first public sighting since 2016, as she linked arms with her journalist partner, 80. Julie put on a trendy display in navy blue cargo pants, teamed with a denim shirt, a black handbag and a pair of white sandals. The Doctor Zhivago star accessorised her trendy look with a red scarf and tortoiseshell sunglasses, pulling a trolley behind her as she stopped by the dry cleaners. Looking far younger than her years, Julie's blonde hair was styled in a chic bob, while Duncan complemented her in a denim shirt of his own, with dark jeans and matching Converse. Julie Christie showed off her youthful beauty and chic style earlier this month, as she was spotted out in London with her husband Duncan Campbell The Oscar-winning actress, 84, looked as glamorous as ever in her first public sighting since 2016, as she linked arms with her journalist partner, 80 Julie put on a trendy display in navy blue cargo pants, teamed with a denim shirt, a black handbag and a pair of white sandals The couple have been together for over four decades, having lived together since 1979, thought the date they tied the knot is unknown. Despite her legendary acting career, Julie has always preferred to keep her life private, and been keen to avoid the spotlight. She has admitted to disliking the fame that comes with her success, once describing being in the limelight as 'like always having chewing gum stuck in your hair'. But her name has been revived in the public consciousness in recent weeks, following the tragic death of Hollywood legend and her former co-star Donald Sutherland. The veteran Canadian actor's death from a long illness at the age of 88 was announced by his movie star son Kiefer Sutherland last month. And in the wake of his passing as the world has reflected on his iconic career, debate has begun anew surrounding one of the most controversial movie sex scenes of all time, between Donald and Julie. The pair starred together in 1973 thriller Don't Look Now, which saw them engage in a very steamy a near-five minutes romp - so intense that many assumed its stars weren't acting. In the years since, the film has faced much speculation about whether the erotic scene was immaculately choregraphed to look hyper realistic, or whether the actors had actually had an on-screen tryst in real life. The Doctor Zhivago star accessorised her trendy look with a red scarf and tortoiseshell sunglasses, pulling a trolley behind her as she stopped by the dry cleaners Looking far younger than her years, Julie's blonde hair was styled in a chic bob, while Duncan complemented her in a denim shirt of his own, with dark jeans and matching Converse The couple have been together for over four decades, having lived together since 1979, thought the date they tied the knot is unknown Despite her legendary acting career, Julie has always preferred to keep her life private, and been keen to avoid the spotlight She has admitted to disliking the fame that comes with her success, once describing being in the limelight as 'like always having chewing gum stuck in your hair' In initial promotion for the film, directed by Nicolas Roeg, it was billed as 'one of the frankest love scenes ever to be filmed' and became hugely controversial. It caused issues for censors both in Britain, where it received an X-rating, and in America, where it was rated R, with the scene in question being entirely removed by the BBC when it first aired on British television. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) at the time said it went beyond what it would normally pass, re-defining boundaries of how sex is shown on the big screen. While even Julie's own boyfriend at the time, the famous actor Warren Beatty, had issues with the scene, reportedly flying to London to demand it was cut from the film, according to Michael Deeley, who oversaw the film's UK distribution. Rumours that the sex was genuine have persisted for years, helped along by the likes of former Paramount executive Peter Bart, who said in his 2011 book that he had watched the scene being filmed and confirmed the actors made love. But Donald has categorically denied the sex was real, previously stating that anyone who claims otherwise is 'an idiot'. Speaking to the New York Daily News at the premiere of The Leisure Seeker, the Hunger Games star said he adored the scene because it 'reminded you of making love.' But he added that performing actual sex would have been impossible since no take lasted longer than 15 seconds before the action was stopped so he and Julie could reposition themselves. But her name has been revived in the public consciousness in recent weeks, following the tragic death of Hollywood legend and her former co-star Donald Sutherland (pictured 2019) The veteran Canadian actor's death from a long illness at the age of 88 was announced by his movie star son Kiefer Sutherland last month (pictured with Kiefer in 2015) And in the wake of his passing as the world has reflected on his iconic career, debate has begun anew surrounding one of the most controversial movie sex scenes of all time, between Donald and Julie (pictured in film) The pair starred together in 1973 thriller Don't Look Now, which saw them engage in a very steamy a near-five minutes romp - so intense that many assumed its stars weren't acting (pictured) While Julie has also said on record that it was nothing more than 'pretend sex', in a 2015 interview with BBC Radio 4. She praised Nicolas, saying the director 'managed to get the extraordinary thing that happens when you are making love'. She added: 'It was just flesh squirming and rolling and touching, and God I thought it was absolutely lovely. I loved the squirming bits and all those things you dont see.' She added that the scene captured the moment that 'you know you don't exist, the other person perhaps doesn't even exist. It's just bodies that are existing. 'It wasn't even necessarily sexy, what it was it reminded you of making love.' In the years since, the film has faced much speculation about whether the erotic scene was immaculately choregraphed to look hyper realistic, or whether the actors had actually had an on-screen tryst in real life Alex Pike has jumped on the salmon sperm facial trend after being inspired by Kim Kardashian. The cosmetic nurse, 46, shared a post to Instagram this week to show her red and swollen face after undergoing the treatment, which involves small needles full of fish sperm being injected directly into the face. 'A very popular beauty treatment in Hollywood, we had an exciting day of training on the revolutionary Rejuran treatment!' she wrote in her caption. 'This cutting-edge procedure, made from salmon sperm DNA (yes your read that correctly). The DNA fragments are removed from the testes of the salmon and works by boosting collagen production and enhancing skin healing.' Alex went on to say that she will be offering the salmon sperm facial treatment at her clinic, Face by Alex Pike, in Melbourne, as well as sharing an article on Kim Kardashian trying the treatment. Prices for the facial in Australia run at around $600 and up per treatment, but it's unclear how much Alex will charge. Kim Kardashian kicked off the beauty trend when, during an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, the 43-year-old told her mother Kris Jenner on set, 'I got salmon sperm facial with salmon sperm injected into my face.' As well as Botox-like effects, salmon sperm injections also known as polynucleotides are said to give customers a 'baby face' and rejuvenated skin. Alex Pike (pictured) has jumped on the salmon sperm facial trend. The cosmetic nurse, 46, shared a post to show her swollen face after undergoing the treatment, which involves small needles full of fish sperm being injected directly into the face The beauty trend can leave your skin bruised and covered in specs of blood, according to advocates of the wrinkle-defying treatment. But aesthetic nurses who offer the treatment insist the bruising is only temporary. Advocates say polynucleotides offer a 'natural' alternative to other traditional 'tweakments' such as Botox and filler. Some doctors claim it is safer than other cosmetic injectables, which have been linked to a catalogue of complications including blocked blood vessels, lumpy skin and infections. It typically uses purified and sterilised DNA molecules extracted from salmon or trout sperm, known as polynucleotides which have anti-inflammatory effects. 'This cutting-edge procedure, made from salmon sperm DNA (yes your read that correctly). The DNA fragments are removed from the testes of the salmon and works by boosting collagen production and enhancing skin healing,' she said South Korea's aesthetics sector has been using the treatment for over a decade but it's now gaining popularity among Western celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston, who told The Wall Street Journal she is reaping its skin rejuvenating qualities. When polynucleotides, DNA molecules extracted from fish sperm, are injected into human skin, fibroblasts are activated. Fibroblasts are stretchy molecules found in skin that help to maintain the structural framework of the tissue. As we age these fibroblasts decrease. So, when the polynucleotides are injected under the eyes, in the cheekbones or in the neck, it theoretically 'rejuvenates' the skin. Although they are 'safer' than getting filler or Botox, they are still painful and will cause bruising, experts warn. Emma Wedgwood, an aesthetic nurse who works in a Harley Street clinic and offers the treatment, compares the initial side effect of bumpy skin to 'bee stings'. The beauty treatment uses purified and sterilised DNA molecules extracted from salmon or trout (pictured) sperm, known as polynucleotides, and some doctors claim it is safer than other cosmetic injectables Kim Kardashian (pictured) kicked off the trend when, during an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, the 43-year-old told her mother Kris Jenner on set, 'I got salmon sperm facial with salmon sperm injected into my face' But she told MailOnline this bumpy swelling goes down within a day or two. 'Sometimes you get bruising depending on where you're injecting. It's usually the more delicate areas such as the eye which are more susceptible,' she said. 'But not it's not in the same way as filler where you would pretty much expect bruising from filler and it is a bonus if you don't, with polynucleotides it's the other way around.' Once the swelling has reduced and the skin starts to heal, it can still take months to see the full wrinkle busting effects. Wedgwood said: 'It can be frustrating for the patient because they have to wait. You are looking at about three to six months to see the full effects. So, it's not an overnight job.' AFL WAG Lexi Mary has opened up about how she first met Western Bulldogs player Rory Lobb. Lexi filmed a candid TikTok video while she got ready to go out, telling her 14,000 followers that Rory 'gave her nothing' on their first date. The advertising executive disclosed that she initially tried to keep her relationship a secret due to an unexpected conflict of interest: her stepfather was the CEO of the Fremantle Dockers. At the time, Lexi had just ended a four-year relationship when she received a direct message from Rory, 31. Three days after the breakup, she decided she had been 'too sad for too long' and resolved to reply to the Bulldogs ruckman. Over the footage of her putting on makeup, Lexi shared a screenshot of the pair's first ever message exchange, where she finally responded to her future fiance's DM. Rory wrote on April 12, 2019, 'How's it standing?' and Lexi responded the following day with, 'Magic.' The couple then went on a date, and though Lexi admitted that Rory was 'giving me nothing' in terms of conversation, their bond grew and five years later, they were engaged. AFL WAG Lexi Mary has opened up about how she first met Western Bulldogs player Rory Lobb. Both pictured Lexi filmed a candid TikTok video while she got ready to go out, telling her 14,000 followers that Rory 'gave her nothing' on their first date It comes as the lovebirds confirmed their wedding date and revealed details about their special day. The AFL player got down on one knee and popped the big question to social media star Lexi during a holiday to the Maldives late last year. The loved-up couple are now in the middle of wedding planning and revealed they are due to tie the knot in February 2025. Over the footage of her putting on makeup, Lexi shared a screenshot of the pair's first ever message exchange, where she finally responded to her future fiance's DM Lexi revealed they want to exchange vows in an intimate ceremony just surrounded by their close family and friends. After saying 'I do', the couple then plan to jet off for a sun-soaked holiday in the Maldives - where they got engaged - with their loved ones. 'We'll have a small wedding, we never want it to feel like a chore so it'll be nice and intimate,' Mary told the Herald Sun. 'And then we'll head to the Maldives later with family and friends,' she added. Kaya Scodelario and her ex-husband Benjamin Walker are seemingly trying to give their marriage another go after they enjoyed a cosy reconciliation at an art gallery event in the Maldives this weekend - five months after they split. The former couple - who are parents to two children and had been married for eight years prior to their split - attended the unveiling of the latest collection of artwork by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar at Patina Maldives on Sunday. Kaya, 32, and Benjamin, 42, tied the knot in December 2015 and share a seven-year-old son and two-year-old daughter together. The couple looked close as they posed under the palm trees of the idyllic Maldives hotel in the dedicated gallery space to attend the private view of sustainably-sourced exhibition, Life Energy. Fans have also speculated whether the married duo are back together after Kaya shared a group photo with Benjamin on her Instagram. Kaya Scodelario, 32, and her ex-husband Benjamin Walker, 42, are seemingly trying to save their marriage on a romantic trip in the Maldives, five months after they split The former couple said they would remain 'the best of friends' when they reportedly parted ways last year after eight years of marriage The estranged couple were joined by Sir Mo Farah, Little Simz and French-Persian artist Sassan on the luxury trip. Sassan's Living Paintings were created using sustainably sourced and natural materials, including ground washed out shells and corals gathered from around the island. The former couple said they would remain 'the best of friends' when they reportedly parted ways last year. Some fans asked the actress on her Instagram if their marriage is finally back on as she posted the sweet snap. Comments read: 'Aww its so sweet to see you and Ben ', Are they still together with Benjamin?'. In cosy beach-front snaps, Ben could be seen wrapping his arm around his estranged wife. MailOnline have contacted Kaya and Benjamin's representatives for a comment. The Skins star looked radiant and glowing in a thigh-high split blue and white floral dress. Benjamin opted for an all-black ensemble while going bare feet all evening on the beach. Kaya and Benjamin tied the knot in December 2015 and share a seven-year-old son and two-year-old daughter together Now, it seems the duo are trying to make amends and work things out during a weekend-long art gallery event Fans have also speculated whether the married duo are back together after Kaya shared a group photo with Benjamin on her Instagram Fans flooded the actress' Instagram comments, asking if their marriage is finally back on The Skins star looked radiant and glowing in a thigh-high split blue and white floral dress The estranged couple were joined by Sir Mo Farah, Little Simz and French-Italian artist Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar on the luxury trip This is the first time the couple have been seen in public together for over a year and Kaya last posted a snap of them together on her Instagram at a wedding in September 2022 (pictured) Celebs attended Life Energy art gallery by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar at Patina Maldives Sassan's Living Paintings were created using sustainably sourced and natural materials, including ground washed out shells and corals gathered from around the island The couple announced their separation in a joint statement in February which read: 'Some time ago Kaya and Ben made the joint decision to end their marriage but continue to co-parent lovingly whilst remaining the best of friends. 'They ask that their privacy as well as that of their children's remain respected as they continue to move forward as a family.' This is the first time the couple has been seen in public together for over a year and Kaya last posted a snap of them together on her Instagram at a wedding in September 2022. Kaya and Benjamin met while filming The King's Daughter back in 2014, when the Maze Runner star was 22 and the The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power actor was 31. After a whirlwind romance, they became engaged in December 2014 and tied the knot the following December, both adopting the surname Scodelario-Davis. Benjamin was previously married to Meryl Streep's daughter Mamie Gummer, from 2011 until their split in March 2013. While Kaya previously dated her Skins co-star Jack O'Connell and had a long-term romance with Shameless actor Eliott Tittensor from late 2009 to early 2014. Kaya rose to fame for her role as Effy in the cult classic Channel 4 series Skins, alongside Nicholas Hoult and Daniel Kaluuya - who is the godfather of her son. An iconic UK award show has announced major changes to its format in a huge shake up - the first ever in its 32-year history. The Mercury Prize, which has previously been awarded to acts including The Ezra Collective, Dizzee Rascal and the Arctic Monkeys, will be announced in September with a television broadcast. But the show, which is partnered with BBC Music and provides television and radio coverage, will not follow its usual format. Unlike in previous years, the award will focus on its social media and online coverage and will not be a ticketed public event with live acts. Last year's ceremony featured live performances from many of the shortlisted artists and and gave audiences a chance to explore new music. The Mercury Prize has announced major changes to its format in a huge shake up - the first ever in its 32-year history (one of last year's nominees Raye is pictured) Little Simz is one of the previous winners of the iconic UK awards (pictured performing at the 2022 show) Unlike in previous years, the award will focus on its social media and online coverage and will not be a ticketed public event with live acts (last year's winners Ezra Collective pictured) The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released in the UK by a British or Irish act. It recognises and awards albums of the year and aims to highlight emerging new talent as well as celebrate more established artists. Previous winners have enjoyed illustrious careers, including the likes of Little Simz, Elbow, James Blake and Skepta. In a statement, Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of the BPI, home to the Mercury Prize, said: 'For the 2024 Mercury Prize we will work imaginatively with the BBC to deliver a premium programme of music content and digital engagement that will, as ever, benefit all 12 artists in reaching a wider audience, providing an important platform for their evolving career and musical journey. 'The Mercury Prize is a cherished part of our cultural landscape, celebrating the art of the album and recognising the exceptional creative achievements of diverse British and Irish artists across the many different genres that make up our thriving and global-facing music scene. 'We are delighted to deepen our relationship with our long-term partner BBC Music to promote the Prize across its networks, including its national broadcast and digital channels, to ensure the greatest possible impact and profile as part of a wider campaign to support the artists who produced the 12 albums of the year.' Previous winners have enjoyed illustrious careers including Elbow, James Blake, Arctic Monkeys (pictured back in 2006) and Skepta The Emily In Paris season four trailer lifts the lid on Lily Collins character Emily's love triangle with Alfie and Gabriel. Part 1 of the hit Netflix series, which airs August 15, will see Emily attempt to steer clear from her double romances and focus on herself. As she roams around the city of love, Emily bumps into many 'hot guys' and realises she needs to make 'new experiences' after last seasons failed romances. But as she tries her best to embrace newly-single life, Emily can't help but reminisce on her relationships with Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) and Gabriel (Lucas Bravo). With best friend Mindy Chen (Ashley Park) urging 'no relationship is perfect' as Emily asks for advice, she quickly finds herself running back to the love triangle to find her one. The Emily In Paris season four trailer lifts the lid on Lily Collins (L) character Emily's love triangle with Alfie (Lucien Laviscount, R) and Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) Part 1 of the hit Netflix series, which airs August 15, will see Emily attempt to steer clear from her double romances and focus on herself (Gabriel aka Lucas Bravo pictured) In a predicament, Emily says: 'I really thought that I could move on from them but they both means so much for different reasons.' Mindy says: 'Don't over think it'. In her work life, Emily once again clashes with her boss Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) when her blogging her love life clashes with her work in the office. The first five shows will be available to watch on August 15 with viewers having to wait almost an entire month for the second instalment om September 12. Emily hasn't had the best luck with dating since relocating from Chicago to Paris in pursuit of her dream marketing job. She fell for neighbour Gabriel despite the chef being in an on/off relationship with her close friend Camille. And her romance with Brit Alfie came to a dramatic end when Camille refused to marry Gabriel in the series three finale, revealing she had always known about his hidden feelings for Emily. There are secrets yet to be exposed including Camille's affair with artist Sofia, which Emily knows about, but Gabriel remains unaware. As she roams around the city of love, Emily bumps into many 'hot guys' and realises she needs to make 'new experiences' after last seasons failed romances But as she tries her best to embrace newly-single life, Emily can't help but reminisce on her relationships with Alfie and Gabriel With best friend Mindy Chen (Ashley Park) urging 'no relationship is perfect' as Emily asks for advice, she quickly finds herself running back to the love triangle to find her one In a predicament, Emily says: 'I really thought that I could move on from them but they both means so much for different reasons' In her work life, Emily once again clashes with her boss Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) when her blogging her love life clashes with her work in the office The first five shows will be available to watch on August 15 with viewers having to wait almost an entire month for the second instalment om September 12 Emily hasn't had the best luck with dating since relocating from Chicago to Paris in pursuit of her dream marketing job She fell for neighbour Gabriel despite the chef being in an on/off relationship with her close friend Camille (pictured) Plus, the major revelation of Camille's pregnancy, which will leave any possible chance of a romance between Emily and Gabriel even harder to navigate. Emily In Paris was created by Sex and the City writer Darren Star, who has admitted he understands why viewers have made comparisons between Lily's character and Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. He said: 'I get why people will link the two series. Each takes place in a glamorous city with a female lead but the idea of Emily In Paris was very different. I've wanted to write a show about an expatriate living in Paris for quite some time.' Lucien branded the series 'chaotic' and 'heartbreaking' while Philippine gave a taste of the action by saying the new episodes are all about 'revenge.' In May, Lily announced: 'Season four comes out this August 15 for part one. Part two drops on September 12, you're welcome.' In an accompanying video, Lily and her co-stars answered in three words how they would describe the new series, with Camille Razat, 30, whose character discovered she was pregnant at the end of season three, saying it's 'messy.' Susan Sarandon has reiterated her stance on the conflict in Gaza and said she will keep using her voice to speak out against injustice, despite the backlash she has received. The Oscar-winning star, 77, has been vocal in her support for Palestine, and present at several rallies calling for a ceasefire in Gaza since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict. And last year, the legendary actress was dropped by her Hollywood representative, United Talent Agency, which is run by Jewish CEO Jeremy Zimmer, for her controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally in November. While Susan apologised for her remarks, saying her 'phrasing was a terrible mistake', covering the latest issue of Elle Spain, she reiterated her desire to end the 'genocide' in Gaza, saying she had long been motivated to stand against injustice. Covering the magazine, the Thelma and Louise star explained that her position has a famous actress is a 'loudspeaker' allowing her to bring visibility to social issues. Susan Sarandon has reiterated her stance on the conflict in Gaza and said she will keep using her voice to speak out against injustice, despite the backlash she has received The Oscar-winning star, 77, has been vocal in her support for Palestine, and present at several rallies calling for a ceasefire in Gaza since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict Covering the latest issue of Elle Spain , she reiterated her desire to end the 'genocide' in Gaza, saying she had long been motivated to stand against injustice and use her position to bring visibility to social issues Accepting that by speaking out she has ensured her blacklisting by a large part of the industry, Susan insisted that everyone had to come together to stop Israelis and Palestinians dying, because 'no one deserves to die this way.' She said: 'Injustice has always hurt and angered me. I grew up in Washington in the 60s, with the Vietnam War hovering over that time and assassinations like Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr. overshadowing our culture. 'I didnt have to force myself to educate myself in this sense, it was the only plausible option. 'Thats why Im so surprised by the misinformation that exists today, at a time when we have everything within our reach. 'It is up to each of us to stop the genocide that is happening in Gaza, and that means that Israelis and Palestinians stop dying. No one deserves to die this way. 'I understand that it is hard to accept that we are all part of the problem, but a war like this is only forged with our taxes, with your money and mine. 'Thats why its admirable that countries like Spain, Ireland or Norway raise their voices and say: We dont want to contribute to this.' Susan recalled: 'I realized that my profession carried with it a loudspeaker in the 70s, when the United States introduced the Equal Rights Amendment. Last year, the legendary actress was dropped by her Hollywood representative, United Talent Agency, which is run by Jewish CEO Jeremy Zimmer, for her controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally in November (pictured) Susan has continued to be an advocate for Palestinian rights, and proudly wore a pro Palestinian button on the red carpet on Thursday for the New York premiere for her new film The Fabulous Four (pictured) 'At one of the marches I was walking with Marlo Thomas, and she said to me: The only way we are going to be in the news is for you to speak. And I did it, scared to death but I did it, because it is the way of life that I conceive.' Susan has previously protested for the visibility of AIDS, to end the war in Iraq and against gun violence, even being arrested. She was arrested in June 2018 at the Women Disobey protests for protesting against Donald Trump's controversial migrant policy of separating children from their parents. While her second arrest was last year at a protest to raise the minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers. She said: 'It will never cease to surprise me that an American thinks that someone is desperate to enter our country, when what they are really trying to do is achieve a dignified, stable and, above all, free life.' The Rocky Horror Picture Show star previously caused controversy in November, after she claimed Jewish people 'are getting a taste of what it feels like to be Muslim' amid the war with Hamas at a rally in New York City. She apologised for her remarks, saying that she had not planned to speak at the rally, but had been invited to address the crowd, and had intended to 'highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza'. But Susan acknowledged that her words ignored 'centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe' as well as recent atrocities, such as the Tree of Life synagogue attack. The Rocky Horror Picture Show star previously caused controversy in November, after she claimed Jewish people 'are getting a taste of what it feels like to be Muslim' amid the war with Hamas at a rally in New York City (pictured in March) She apologised for her remarks, saying that she had not planned to speak at the rally, but had been invited to address the crowd, and had intended to 'highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza ' (pictured at Code Pink for Peace protest in February) Taking to her Instagram, she said: 'Intending to communicate my concern for an increase in hate crimes, I said that Jewish Americans, as the targets of rising antisemitic hate, "are getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence." 'This phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true. 'As we all know, from centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe, to the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, PA, Jews have long been familiar with discrimination and religious violence which continues to this day. 'I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. It was my intent to show solidarity in the struggle against bigotry of all kinds, and I am sorry I failed to do so.' 'I will continue my commitment to peace, truth, justice, and compassion for all people. I hope that we can meet with love and willingness to engage in dialogue, especially with those with whom we disagree.' Susan has continued to be an advocate for Palestinian rights, and proudly wore a pro Palestinian button on the red carpet on Thursday for the New York premiere for her new film The Fabulous Four. In April, she joined a host of film stars and directors donating memorabilia and time to a Cinema for Gaza auction to raise funds for humanitarian relief in Palestine, including Paul Mescal, Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Tessa Thompson, Louis Theroux, Jonathan Glazer and Stellan Skarsgard. The Strictly Come Dancing professionals returned to work on Monday ahead of the 2024 series with Kai Widdrington, Nikita Kuzmin and Neil Jones seen at the studio. The BBC show has been engulfed by drama since Giovanni Pernice was suspended after his celebrity partner Amanda Abbington accused him of abusive behaviour, saying he was 'cruel and mean.' He denies the claims. It was followed by Graziano Di Prima's sacking last month over reports he verbally and physically abused Zara McDermott during rehearsals. Graziano has apologised for kicking his former partner and added other allegations do not align with 'how he remembers it.' Heading to rehearsals this week, the dancers brushed off the drama, with smiling Nikita offering a peace sign. Also heading to the north London studio was Johannes Radebe, Carlos Gu and Lauren Oakley. The Strictly Come Dancing professionals returned to work on Monday ahead of the 2024 series (Kai Widdrington pictured) The BBC show has been engulfed by drama since Giovanni Pernice was suspended and Graziano Di Prima's sacking, but smiling Neil Jones and Nikita Kuzmin brushed it off Kai will be retuning to the series following his split from fellow show dancer Nadiya Bychkova. MailOnline confirmed the former couple, who both compete on the BBC series, split after two years together in June, at the end of their lucrative tour Behind the Magic. The show's 'golden couple' were reportedly 'emotionally drifting away' from each other, leading to their shock split after two tears together. It has now been reported the couple were battling off-stage problems during their tour, and the pressure of being in each other's space 24/7, eventually 'took its toll' on their relationship. On Friday that Ukrainian dancer Nikita, 26, revealed he was getting ready to head back into the Strictly Come Dancing training room 'in five days time'. He made the comment while performing his last show with Layton Williams, where he confirmed he was preparing to meet his new celebrity partner, The Sun reports. There was yet more drama for Strictly over the weekend as Amanda lodged new complaints and a female dancer was revealed to be facing allegations of bullying. Speaking in her first interview since quitting Strictly Come Dancing in October, the actress, 50, said Giovanni's behaviour was 'unnecessary.' The group were also join by Carlos Gu, who looked stylish in a vest op and jeans Lauren Oakley and Johannes Radebe made their way to practice with Kai On Friday that Ukrainian dancer Nikita, 26, revealed he was getting ready to head back into the Strictly Come Dancing training room 'in five days time' Kai will be retuning to the series following his split from fellow show dancer Nadiya Bychkova MailOnline confirmed the former couple, who both compete on the BBC series, split after two years together in June, at the end of their lucrative tour Behind the Magic Lauren looked chic in a cropped vest top and pin striped trousers as she arrived at rehearsals while Carlos also showed off his sense of style She looked in good spirits as she chatted with her co-stars The dancer's carried some lunch from Whole Foods There was yet more drama for Strictly over the weekend as Amanda lodged new complaints, and a female dancer was revealed to be facing allegations of bullying Amanda abruptly left the BBC show 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's sacking. Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Ms Abbington and two other former celebrity partners. In an interview with The Sun, Amanda said: 'I found Giovanni's behaviour unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean. I couldn't sit back and let him do that to other people.' She continued: 'I had to think long and hard about making a complaint because I knew the backlash I would get. But I would not have been able to live with myself for future people going on that show.' 'It's insane what has happened to me, with the death threats and backlash. I know the BBC have known about his behaviour for years, people had complained about him and flagged his behaviour to producers in the past and nothing was done. 'It wasn't an isolated experience with me. I should never ever have danced with him.' A spokesperson for Giovanni told MailOnline in response: 'The BBC has shared allegations from the inquiry with Giovanni, who has cooperated fully.' They added: 'None of the allegations carried in the Sun on Sunday are included in any shape or form. Giovanni refutes these allegations and denies any accusations of abusive or threatening behaviour. 'He has provided substantive evidence to the investigation and he remains fully confident of clearing his name.' The BBC declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline but a spokesperson previously stated: 'We will not be commenting on individuals or engaging with speculation. 'However, as we have said previously we will always listen if people want to make us aware of something or raise it with us directly and we have appropriate procedures and processes in place to manage this.' Meanwhile, more shocking details of Graziano 'aggressive' treatment of Zara have since been reported. Graziano has apologised for kicking his former partner and added other allegations do not align with 'how he remembers it.' Reports allege he 'called her nasty names, asked if she had gained weight and was forceful' leaving her 'visibly demoralised' and 'in tears.' Zara herself previously claimed in a statement there had been 'particular incidents inside the training room which were incredibly distressing.' She did not report the incidents at the time as she was 'scared' of backlash, instead it was junior production staff who came forward. It is not just male dancers who are now facing allegations of abusive behaviour. A former dancer has claimed tonight that a currently unnamed female Strictly dancer screamed in his face and berated him off-camera. The Daily Mirror reports that the household name's allegations do not include physical abuse. Giovanni was suspended after his celebrity partner Amanda accused him of abusive behaviour, saying he was 'cruel and mean.' He denies the claims (Giovanni and Amanda seen in October) Speaking in her first interview since quitting the BBC show in October, the actress, 50, said the professional's behaviour was 'unnecessary' (pictured in January 2023) It was followed by Graziano's sacking last month over reports he verbally and physically abused Zara McDermott during rehearsals. Graziano has apologised (pictured together) A source said: 'The man in question felt very much victimised by the behaviour of his Strictly partner. 'He alleges that on several occasions she flew into a real fury when he couldn't get the steps right, and on one occasion screamed full in his face. They rowed every single day.' MailOnline revealed on Friday that the allegations have left some male professionals from the BBC show concerned about how or if they will be affected. 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'. MailOnline contacted the BBC for comment at the time. Then on Wednesday the scandal deepened after unearthed footage revealed former professional dancer James Jordan telling his partner he would 'drag her across the floor and scream at her' if she forgot her moves. The clip, which was filmed during the fourth series back in 2006, shows him rehearsing with actress Georgina Bouzova. He also says to her 'kill you' as he demands she stands on one leg and insists that unless she has physically broken a rib he doesn't care what pain she is in. He is also seen throwing a chair across the training studio. James, who left Strictly in 2012 after appearing on eight series, also banned Georgina, who formerly starred on BBC medical drama Casualty, from eating sweets and chocolate and would only allow her to buy pineapple and ham when they visited a supermarket together. Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan has furiously hit back after unearthed footage emerged of him telling his partner he would 'drag her across the floor and scream at her' if she forgot her moves However James has furiously hit back after the clip from Strictly's spin-off show It Takes Two resurfaced. The ballroom dancer and choreographer, 46, has slammed the BBC saying most of the footage 'was not related to Georgina at all'. Sharing a raging statement on Instagram he said that the footage was 'edited for entertainment' and was 'highly produced and exaggerated'. He said there 'is no comparison to be drawn between those awful allegations and the VT' - while insisting none of his celebrity partners ever complained about him during his eight years on the show. Disgraced reality star Josh Duggar reportedly 'signs autographs' for fellow convicts to give to their family - as he continues his 12-year prison sentence for child porn charges. When it was revealed that Josh, now 36, had been arrested for downloading images of naked girls aged between seven and nine in 2021, it completely shattered the wholesome on-screen image that he and his family had worked so hard to build over the course of their multiple TLC reality shows. It was a downfall that shocked and horrified the family's millions of fans - but according to The Sun, the former TV personality is still enjoying his star status while behind bars. The publication reported earlier this week that the felon - currently serving out his sentence at FCI Seagoville in Dallas, Texas - was 'considered a celebrity' at the correctional facility. 'Josh has been signing autographs on newspapers articles about him for prisoners' family members,' a source told the outlet. Disgraced reality star Josh Duggar reportedly 'signs autographs' for fellow convicts to give to their family - as he continues his 12-year prison sentence for child porn charges Josh (seen with his wife, Anna Duggar in 2015), 36, was arrested for downloading images of naked girls aged between seven and nine in 2021 Josh was arrested and charged with two counts of downloading and possessing child pornography in April 2021. During the trial, it was brought to light that the married-father-of-six had downloaded child sexual abuse material online in May 2019. A detective on the case claimed she was able to locate two files on the computer: a zip folder containing 65 image files of naked girls aged between seven and nine, and a two-minute video of a similarly-aged girl being raped by an adult man. He was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in prison. He tried to have the guilty verdict overturned, but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his bid last month. Years before he was arrested for child pornography, reports emerged that claimed Josh had molested numerous minors - including four of his younger sisters. According to a 2006 police report unearthed by InTouch Weekly in 2015, Josh's behavior was first discovered in March 2002, when one of his youngest sisters went to Duggar patriarch Jim Bob Duggar 'very upset and crying.' The unnamed sister said that Josh had snuck into the shared girls' bedroom, and touched her breasts and genitals while she slept on four occasions. According to The Sun, the former TV personality is still enjoying his star status while behind bars. He's seen with his wife and kids before his arrest The publication reported earlier this week that the felon - who is currently serving out his sentence at FCI Seagoville (seen) in Dallas, Texas - is 'considered a celebrity' at the facility When confronted by Jim Bob, the report said that Josh admitted to the incident and was 'disciplined,' though the patriarch didn't reveal what that entailed. According to the report, Josh was accused by several of his younger sisters of similar sexual touching again one year later. On one occasion, it said he was reading to a little sister on his lap when he touched her 'breasts and vaginal area.' On another, he cornered one of his sisters in the laundry room and put his hand under her dress. Jim Bob and his wife, Michelle Duggar, did not initially go to the police, keeping the molestation allegations and Josh's confessions a secret until a tip was made to the Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline about Josh's behavior three years later and forced their hand. Finally speaking to law enforcement on December 12, 2006, Jim Bob said that when he learned about what his son was doing, he 'met with the elders of his church and told them what was going on.' They suggested a particular treatment program at Vista Hospital, but Jim Bob was concerned that Josh would be 'exposed to other offenders and other things they did not want him exposed to.' Instead, they sent him to a Christian program that consisted of 'hard physical work and counseling' from March 17, 2003, to July 17, 2003. Jim Bob and Michelle also told the local police that Josh had 'apologized' to his victims and said they had 'forgiven' him, and when he returned, they believed the issue had been 'resolved.' Josh's arrest shattered the wholesome on-screen image that he and his family had worked so hard to build over the course of their multiple TLC reality shows He tried to have his guilty verdict overturned but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his bid last month. He's seen at his trial with his wife in 2021 When Josh got home from the Christian counseling program, his parents had him talk to Arkansas State Trooper Jim Hutchens, who gave him a 'very stern talk.' Jim was later imprisoned on child pornography charges of his own, and has been in jail since 2007. He was sentenced to 56 years. When the police report describing Josh's transgressions was made public in 2015, two of his sisters - Jill and Jessa - identified themselves as two of his victims. Later, in 2017, two more sisters, Jinger and Joy, were identified as the other victims in a lawsuit. When Jim Bob, Michelle, Jill, and Jessa all sat down for an interview with Megyn Kelly to discuss what happened in 2015 - some viewers were left alarmed by the way the parents tried to minimize their son's behavior. 'He was still a kid, you know, and he was still a juvenile. He wasn't an adult,' Jim Bob said. 'Kids will make their own choices. '[Josh] had gone in and just basically touched them over their clothes while they were sleeping,' he went on, adding that there were 'a couple incidents where he touched them under their clothes, but it was, like, a few seconds.' 'God can forgive [Josh] for these terrible things, I hope other people realize God can forgive them and also make them a new creature.' He also seemed to imply that a brother molesting his sisters was common, saying: 'We talked to other parents and different ones since then, a lot of families have said that they've had similar things happen in their families.' According to a 2006 police report, Josh previously admitted to inappropriately touching his sisters Jill (second from right), Jessa (center), Jinger (second from left), and Joy (left) It was later revealed his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, kept the molestation allegations and Josh's confessions a secret until a tip was made to the police three years later 'I think we had one ray of hope, in that Josh had a tender conscience,' Michelle chimed in. They also insisted that they had 'put safeguards in their home' to prevent something similar from happening again - which included boys not being allowed to be alone with girls, and the 'little ones' being told they shouldn't sit on 'big boys' laps unless it's your daddy.' The Duggar family first landed their own reality show, 17 Kids and Counting, in 2008. The series, which would go on to be renamed twice to account for the births of three more kids, quickly captured the nation and became immensely popular. What likely sparked the world's interest was the parents' insanely-strict set of rules that they set for their 19 kids. Jim Bob and Michelle are members of a Christian group run by shunned minister Bill Gothard, which contained teachings that said children must be homeschooled, dress modestly, and avoid all contact with the opposite sex before marriage. Almost every aspect of the kids' lives were controlled by Jim Bob and Michelle - they read their text messages, told them what they were allowed to watch on TV and what music they could listen too, and they even had a say in who they were friends with. The show went on for 10 seasons before ending in 2015, however, later that year, a spinoff entitled Counting On premiered, which aired for another 11 seasons before it was canceled amid Josh's arrest. Zara McDermott admitted that she would've chosen a different dance partner on Strictly Come Dancing than Graziano Di Prima in an unearthed interview. The professional dancer, 31, was axed from the upcoming series of the show over claims he verbally and physically abused the Love Island star, 27, during last year's competition. And as more allegations about his behaviour have emerged, a throwback clip of the pair has resurfaced, showing Zara voicing a desire to work with a different dancer instead. Answering questions together with Grazia, Zara and Graziano were asked: 'If you had to dance with another dancer/contestant for a week, who would you pick?' Zara immediately said: 'I know who I would pick, but you go first.' Zara McDermott admitted that she would've chosen a different dance partner on Strictly Come Dancing than Graziano Di Prima in an unearthed interview The professional dancer, 31, was axed from the upcoming series of the show over claims he verbally and physically abused the Love Island star, 27, during last year's competition (pictured together in October) And as more allegations about his behaviour have emerged, a throwback clip of the pair has resurfaced, showing Zara voicing a desire to work with a different dancer instead But Graziano refused to pick someone and said: 'See you later' as he got up to storm off, while Zara insisted: 'It's a game! It is a game.' But the Italian shot back: 'Yeah but your brain went there anyway.' Zara attempted to defend herself, saying she would have only chosen someone she thought was 'really nice'. She said: 'Well no, but I'm just thinking if there was someone who I think is really nice, who I'd also get on with. If I had to dance with another dancer, it would probably Kai [Widdrington] because I really like Kai.' In response, Graziano changed his answer and said: 'If I could dance with someone it would probably be Layton [Williams],' causing Zara to declare: 'I knew you'd say that!' It comes following reports on Sunday, that Graziano was accused of 'chasing' after Zara while 'screaming abuse,' leaving her so frightened that she 'locked herself in a toilet.' He has apologised for kicking his former partner, but added other allegations do not align with 'how he remembers it.' According to the reports, shock details have now been revealed which allege he 'called her nasty names, asked if she had gained weight and was forceful' leaving her 'visibly demoralised' and 'in tears.' But Graziano refused to pick someone and said: 'See you later' as he got up to storm off, while Zara insisted: 'It's a game! It is a game' Zara attempted to defend herself, saying she would have only chosen someone she thought was 'really nice' and choosing Kai Widdrington (pictured in September) Zara herself previously claimed in a statement there had been 'particular incidents inside the training room which were incredibly distressing.' She did not report the incidents at the time as she was 'scared' of backlash, instead it was junior production staff who came forward. An insider told The Sun: 'Zara ran to the toilets and locked herself in. He chased after her and was screaming abuse. He was aggressive and called her nasty names. It was really scary. 'You could constantly hear Graziano screaming but when production staff opened the door he would stop. Hed say, "How the f*** are you not getting this right?", and "Why are we even bothering to come here?". Zara was visibly demoralised.' The insider added that Graziano would apologise each time and 'promise to not do it again.' On Thursday, Mark Borkowski, a spokesperson for Graziano, 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.' It comes following reports on Sunday, that Graziano was accused of 'chasing' after Zara while 'screaming abuse,' leaving her so frightened that she 'locked herself in a toilet (pictured in January) According to the reports, shock details have now been revealed which allege he 'called her nasty names, asked if she had gained weight and was forceful' leaving her 'visibly demoralised' '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 believed the matter had been resolved at the time. 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.' A BBC Spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We will not be commenting on individuals or engaging with speculation. 'However, as we have said previously we will always listen if people want to make us aware of something or raise it with us directly and we have appropriate procedures and processes in place to manage this.' Earlier this week, Graziano admitted he called Zara McDermott 'rubbish' in re-surfaced interview as he detailed his tough training regime. According to reports, shock details have now been revealed which allege he 'called her nasty names, asked if she had gained weight and was forceful' leaving her 'visibly demoralised' (pictured in March) Zara herself previously claimed in a statement there had been 'particular incidents inside the training room which were incredibly distressing' An insider told The Sun : 'Just before their live performance on Halloween, Graziano asked Zara if she had gained weight. She didnt put her foot in the right direction and he was being forceful with her. She was crying behind the curtain during final rehearsals' Zara has since been seen with only three toenails left, her feet 'bleeding' and 'passed out' on the floor as images of her in training have come to light once more. Now, in a re-surfaced interview from October, Graziano discusses the regime he undergoes with the celebrity contestants while speaking to Zara's boyfriend Sam Thompson on his Hits Radio UK show. In the clip he explained: 'The thing for me, every season I try to make a friend, because this person needs to feel comfortable in the room with me, because they've never danced before for example, and we dont know each other.' Graziano added: 'We are forced to spend all day together. You need to understand that Im just teaching you. 'Everything Im saying is not personal, it's about how you move. Im not telling you that youre rubbish in life!' MailOnline has contacted Graziano Di Prima's representatives for comment. In a resurfaced video posted on the professional dancer's Instagram Story, Zara can be seen napping on the floor of the dance studio as she attempted to get some rest after an exhausting training session. Taken on October 25 just days before the pair were eliminated from the show in week six, Graziano waited for her to wake up as he captioned the snap: 'She asked me 5 minutes break'. Later reposting the clip, after her slumber, she seemed to joke: 'I think I've clocked about 50k steps already today with this routine. Give me a break pls' alongside a laughing emoji. Months after the show, Zara also revealed that she only has three toenails after losing them during the competition. While training for Strictly, Zara shared a photo of her nasty foot wounds including one on her big toe, she wrote: 'Half my toe has come off tbh.' Zara has since been seen with only three toenails left , her feet 'bleeding' and 'passed out' on the floor as images of her in training have come to light once more Now, in a re-surfaced interview from October, Graziano discusses the regime he undergoes with the celebrity contestants while speaking to Zara's boyfriend Sam Thompson (pictured on Hits Radio UK show) Graziano says: 'Everything Im saying is not personal, it's about how you move. Im not telling you that youre rubbish in life!' During an interview last year, Zara revealed the reason behind her agonising injury, that left her feet 'bleeding' was her gruelling training sessions. She said at the time it was a tough ride during rehearsals when Graziano made her wear 'men's shoes' which left her feet sore and cut. Speaking at the Who Cares Wins awards, Zara said: 'Graziano told me not to go for the heels but to dance in men's shoes at the start. 'I told him, 'It's not working, I need to take them off' and he said, 'No, no you're fine'. 'I said honestly it's hurting and I took them off and my feet were bleeding. I was like, 'I told you I am not being dramatic!' Zara has been open about her injuries and has more recently been wearing a Aircast Boot after having a stress fracture in her tibia. In March, she shared a health update on Instagram ahead of a hospital visit, she penned: 'This evening I'm heading to the hospital because while I was away I got some news from my Dr about my tibia fracture. 'The good news is that there is some small evidence of healing! Yay! 'However he said he can see that the bone surrounding the fracture is under a lot of tension/pressure... whatever that means? 'Surgery is still an option but I've opted for the most natural route which is to try and help it heal on its own...' In another post, Zara explained her injury further and asked followers for advice. She penned: 'So I have quite a significant stress fracture in my tibia that isn't healing. It stretches pretty much the entire width of my bone. 'The professor who operated on me back in December has advised that I am likely to need further surgery where they put metal screws and plates above and below the fractured area to fuse it together. 'I'm just weighing up whether to crack on and go ahead with the surgery or wait and hope that it starts to heal on its own. If it doesn't, then I will need to have surgery in 3-6 months anyway.' During an interview last year, Zara revealed the reason behind her agonising injury, that left her feet 'bleeding', was due to partner Graziano's training A photo of her 'passed out' during rehearsal with Strictly partner Graziano in a 'resurfaced' video from last October has also come to light After Graziano shared the video of her napping Zara was quick to hit back by claiming she had done 'double the workload' of her professional partner Zara broke her silence after Graziano was sacked from Strictly Come Dancing over reports he 'hit and kicked' her on Tuesday. The Love Island star wrote on Instagram that while much of her time on Strictly 'was everything I could have dreamt of' inside the training room with Graziano there were 'particular incidents which are incredibly distressing'. 'I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports,' Zara begain. '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 worth 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 incredible 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 pro dancer Giovanni Pernice was taking place. Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda Abbinngton and two other former celebrity partners. He has now denied all accusations of abusive or threatening behaviour made by Amanda in her interview and has cooperated with the BBC. Zara broke her silence after Graziano was sacked from Strictly Come Dancing over reports he 'hit and kicked' her on Tuesday The star wrote on Instagram that while much of her time on Strictly 'was everything I could have dreamt of' inside the training room with Graziano there were 'distressing incidents' Both Zara and her boyfriend Sam Thompson have since unfollowed Graziano, but she still follows his wife, Giada Lini (Zara and Sam pictured) 'I have wrested with the fear of opening up - I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming,' Zara wrote on Instagram. '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. The BBC has vowed to fight back after it was revealed that Strictly Come Dancing star Graziano Di Prima is taking legal action against the broadcaster. The Sicilian dancer believes he should have been 'supported and helped' with his behaviour after bosses warned him about his treatment of former Love Island star Zara. But a BBC insider told the Mail that the broadcaster will fight back, explaining: 'Why would any workplace, particularly one paid for by the public, offer support to someone who acted in an undoubtedly abhorrent manner?' Graziano, who allegedly 'kicked and hit' Zara, argues that he was not given any advice on how to deal with the pressure of competing in the show. 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 Graziano shared a statement reading: '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' A friend of the professional dancer said: 'There are questions over their [the BBC's] procedures, and how they operate behind the scenes.' 'He [Di Prima] believes that there is a lot of pressure on professionals to get nines or tens to entertain the audience.' MailOnline revealed that Strictly production staff raised concerns about Graziano's conduct last year, but bosses only went as far as to issue quiet warnings to him. The group expected him to be sacked instantly. They are said to be furious that their complaints were ignored, meaning the abuse towards Zara was allowed to continue. Graziano was even signed on for the upcoming 2024 series of Strictly. A source from the show said: 'There were multiple occasions where both physical and verbal attacks were made. It was more physical than verbal, but all of it was dreadful.' It was not until staff got hold of a video allegedly showing Graziano repeatedly hitting Zara nine months after their initial complaint that he was fired. Bethenny Frankel made jaws drop in her latest beach snaps. The Real Housewives of New York City vet, 53 who recently got slammed by fans for posting a controversial TikTok took to Instagram to post vacation snaps from her luxurious trip to Saint Tropez, France on Monday. She modeled an ivory swimsuit with sexy cutouts on the side, with chic bows holding the ensemble together. The particularly tight-fitting ensemble accentuated her very slim waist. Her raven looks were let loose as they blew in the salty ocean breeze. Bethenny Frankel took to Instagram to post vacation snaps from her luxurious trip to Saint Tropez, France on Monday The TV personality beat the heat with a woven sun hat and stylish oversized sunglasses bejeweled with hearts. She wore a full face of glam makeup that displayed her flawless skin and blush toned pout. Frankel accessorized with dainty diamond earrings, a gold chain necklace, gold bracelets and a silver watch. In another snap, she posed in a summery floral print jumpsuit while enjoying a beachside brunch. She added an adorable selfie with her daughter, Bryn Hoppy, 14, who she shares with her ex-husband Jason Hoppy. 'Hey hooray Its Sunday in St. Tropez!' she penned in the caption. The post was a hit with the Skinny Girl mogul's 3.4million followers, racking up over 25.6k likes and hundreds of likes. Fans rushed to the comments to pen their support for the reality star with one writing, 'Those glasses are EVERYTHING...living the best rich b*tch fantasy.' Another chimed in on the mother-daughter trip saying, 'How will your daughter ever find a man when she gets older to compete with how much she's been spoiled by you?!' The starlet's vacation to paradise comes after she broke her silence on ex-fiance Paul Bernon's relationship with Aurora Culpo, just days before they secretly called it quits. She modeled an ivory swimsuit with sexy cutouts on the side, with chic bows holding the ensemble together In another snap, she posed in a summery floral print jumpsuit while enjoying a beachside brunch She added an adorable selfie with her daughter, Bryn Hoppy, 14, who she shares with her ex-husband Jason Hoppy The raven haired beauty later posted a snap of herself in a stunning purple swimsuit alongside her daughter Earlier this month, the philanthropist said seeing her ex with a new woman felt 'embarrassing' and 'gutting,' on her Just B podcast. 'Hearing about your ex-fiance committing to another woman shortly thereafter on their first date, and then being inside their relationship, hearing about their sex and their gifts and meeting each other's kids, and the level of commitment was gutting.' Bethenny and Paul started dating after meeting on a dating app in 2018. The pair got engaged in 2021 but called it quits earlier this year. Toby Maguire's ex-wife Jennifer Meyer has credited 'angel' Gwyneth Paltrow for her amicable divorce from the Spider-Man star. Paltrow, 51 was widely ridiculed for announcing her divorce from Coldplay star Chris Martin, 47, as a 'conscious uncoupling' in 2014 - but Meyer, 47, said the actress' amicable split helped her navigate her own divorce from Maguire, 49, in 2020. Speaking on the Broad Ideas podcast on Monday, jewelry designer Meyer said: 'Right when Tobey and I were starting to break up, I watched what Gwyneth Paltrow was starting to do with Chris this conscious uncoupling that everyone was making fun of. 'I got to see it firsthand, and it was the most beautiful thing that I had ever witnessed two human beings go through. She was so loving and kind and open to him and she created this family. 'I was like, "Wow, thats not what I was taught growing up. I was taught that divorce was ugly bad and would never be good. Toby Maguire's ex-wife Jennifer Meyer has credited 'angel' Gwyneth Paltrow for her amicable divorce from the Spider-Man star - pictured 2015 Paltrow, 51 was widely ridiculed for announcing her divorce from Coldplay star Chris Martin , 47, as a 'conscious uncoupling' in 2014 (pictured that year)- but Meyer, 47, said the actress' amicable split helped her navigate her own divorce from Maguire, 49, in 2020 Meyer asked Paltrow: 'How did you do that? Please, what do I do? Because were just starting to break up, and its feeling very scary. How can we come together for [these] human[s] we both created that we love? What do we do?' Meyer added that Paltrow introduced her to Dr. Habib Sadeghi: 'She didnt tell me their process, she didnt tell me anything. 'She just said, "I have someone for you to meet with. Good luck," basically. Because I think youve got to give people their own process.' Meyer said she had 'hit the jackpot of ex-husbands' with Maguire and added the pair were still 'best friends' four years after their divorce. They share daughter Ruby, 18, and son Otis, 15. So close is the former couple's relationship that Meyer and boyfriend Geoffrey Ogunlesi holiday with Maguire, Meyer recently pushed back on rumors the Spider-Man actor is in a romance with model Lily Chee, who is nearly three decades younger than him. A Reddit thread posted Sunday titled 'Jen Meyer defends ex-husband Tobey Maguire' included what People reported was a comment from Meyer denying any romantic connection between Maguire and Chee. They share daughter Ruby, 18, and son Otis, 15 Meyer said she had 'hit the jackpot of ex-husbands' with Maguire and added the pair were still 'best friends' four years after their divorce - pictured 2018, two years after their split Meyer addressed reports that had linked Maguire to Chee after they were pictured with one another at an exclusive July 4 bash known as the 'White Party' in the Hamptons in New York thrown by billionaire Michael Rubin. The Reddit thread included a screengrab from Instagram sent to an account for Meyer's Los Angeles-based jewelry company under the handle @jenmeyerjewelry. A user purportedly asked Meyer 'Why is your ex husband banging someone 3 years older than your daughter,' with three skull emojis. A reply from the @jenmeyerjewelry account read, 'I don't usually respond to such nonsense, but he was kindly helping a friend to her car. Being a good guy. 'And now he has [been] blasted online for dating someone he is not. But thank you for your rude comments. I hope it made you feel better today. Wishing you love and light.' The comment was subsequently deleted, according to The Independent. Maguire and Meyer exchanged vows in 2007 in Kona, Hawaii and would announce they had separated nine years later, in 2016. Rob Delaney has opened up about the 'awful' aftermath of his two-year-old son Henry's death and described the loss of his 'gorgeous' boy as a 'nightmare.' During an appearance on Today with Hoda & Jenna on Monday morning, the 47-year-old actor - who is married to wife Leah - described Henry as 'charming and brilliant,' but admitted that 'a lot of things aren't fine' six years after his passing. When Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager asked Rob about his 2022 memoir, A Heart That Works, which he wrote after Henry's death, the Catastrophe said: 'He died of a brain tumor that he was diagnosed with right around his first birthday. And yeah, he died in the beginning of 2018 and he was just the sweetest little most wonderful guy. 'We say that about all of our kids, but Henry was better than other children. He was so funny, and his brain tumor was in the back of his head near his brain stem so it brought him a lot of physical difficulties, because that stuff is controlled back there, but his frontal lobe was fine.' Rob continued: 'He was very funny and smart and charming and gorgeous and flirty and silly and brilliant. He learned sign language because he couldn't talk because he had a tracheotomy, so just a wonderful boy. Rob Delaney opened up about the aftermath of his son's death during an appearance on Today with Hoda & Jenna Rob and his wife, Leah, sadly lost their two-year-old son, Henry, in 2018 after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor 'And yeah, you mentioned the book, I wrote a book about him because I wanted people to know about him. And I also thought, there's a lot of stuff written about grief that people are kind of like, "but then one day the sun came out again," and I was like, "yeah, enough of that crap." 'It's a nightmare and I figured the best thing I could do was to sort of elucidate how awful it is and let the reader maybe glean hope by seeing that my family is "okay" now, but I didn't want to prescribe it and be like, "it'll all be fine," because a lot of things aren't fine.' When Hoda, 59, told him they were 'glad' that he wanted to talk about it, Rob replied: 'No, I love to talk about him. He's my son, I'm his dad, his brothers miss him, his mom misses him and he's still part of our family and so I don't know how to not talk about him.' Earlier this month, Rob admitted that he was worried he wouldn't be able to love his fourth son - because his heart was 'destroyed' after losing Henry to cancer. The comedy star, 47, who is from Massachusetts but lives in north London, opened up about Henry on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs with host Lauren Laverne. In the candid interview Rob admitted he worried that he wouldn't be able to love Henry's younger brother after his death, saying his heart was 'torn to pieces.' He said: 'I remember thinking, when he was about to be born, "well my heart has been destroyed, it has been torn into pieces and destroyed, and it's just garbage, so I will take care of this kid, I will feed him, I will put him in clothing that fits, am I going to be able to love him? I don't know if I can do that anymore." 'But the nanosecond he exited my wife's body, I looked at him and started weeping, and I was so in love with him... I love him desperately. But you have to feel and honor your pain. When the feelings come it's best to let them.' Rob described losing his 'gorgeous' child as a 'nightmare,' but says he loves to talk about him Rob pictured with his wife, Leah, at the British Academy Television Craft Awards in April 2018 In the emotional interview, Rob also spoke about Henry's last few months. 'He did have a good death. His final months we had four-and-a-half of them where we knew he was going to die his brothers were just so into him,' he said. 'They all loved each other so much I watched a four and a six-year-old hold their brother's dead body, I watched them take unbelievable care of him and learn difficult things because he required really intense things to take care of him. 'I just hate thinking about them not having him. I really hate it. 'They talk about him all the time and they love him, and they smile when they talk about him and they love to look at pictures of him and he is very much part of our lives.' Giovanni Pernice appeared to brush off the ongoing chaos surrounding Strictly Come Dancing as he ventured out in Manchester on Monday. The dancer, 33, was recently axed from his position as a professional on the show after his after his 2023 celebrity partner Amanda Abbington accused him of abusive behaviour. As his former co-stars headed to the studios in London to prepare for this year's competition, Giovanni was more than 200 miles away in Manchester. As he exited the station, the TV star was seen in dark glasses and carried with him a suitcase branded with his initials as well as a designer shopping bag. The Mail can reveal the Giovanni is just days away from learning the verdict of the investigation which began three months ago after Amanda Abbington complained to the BBC that he had bullied her. Giovanni Pernice was spotted in Manchester on Monday as his former co-stars turned up to the first day of training for this year's Strictly Meanwhile, Gio's ex girlfriend Molly Brown was also spotted in the Northern city, looking downcast as she headed out for the first time since they split amid the row Friends of the Italian say that he is hopeful of being cleared after receiving all of the accusations she levelled against him. He has rebutted them all and because the inquiry is 'evidence led' and there is said not to be any. A friend of Giovannis told MailOnline: It has been a long wait but Gio is confident of the ruling going his way, he is very confident and happy with his responses to Amandas claims. He cant wait to get it all done and go off on holiday after going through all do this. Meanwhile, Gio's ex girlfriend Molly Brown was also spotted in the Northern city, looking downcast as she headed out for the first time since they split amid the row. The model was seen wearing a PrettyLittleThing gym outfit as she also made her way through Manchester, but she was with a female friend. She hugged herself tight in her beige coat and seemed to have kept this natural with her makeup and hair for the outing. Gio was in the Northern city following the final performance of his Together Again tour with Strictly judge Anton Du Beke at the Lowry in Salford last night. The model was seen wearing a PrettyLittleThing gym outfit as she also made her way through Manchester, but she was with a female friend Gio was in the Northern city following the final performance of his Together Again tour with Strictly judge Anton Du Beke Kai will be retuning to the series following his split from fellow show dancer Nadiya Bychkova On Friday that Ukrainian dancer Nikita, 26, revealed he was getting ready to head back into the Strictly Come Dancing training room 'in five days time' It was followed by Graziano's sacking last month over reports he verbally and physically abused Zara McDermott during rehearsals. Graziano has apologised (pictured together) He stopped for a mere moment to adjust his glasses before carrying on, a leather satchel secured to his shoulders. Giovanni's drama was followed by Graziano Di Prima's sacking last month over reports he verbally and physically abused Zara McDermott during rehearsals. Graziano has apologised for kicking his former partner and added other allegations do not align with 'how he remembers it.' Heading to rehearsals this week, the dancers brushed off the drama, with smiling Nikita offering a peace sign. Also heading to the north London studio was Johannes Radebe, Carlos Gu and Lauren Oakley. Kai will be retuning to the series following his split from fellow show dancer Nadiya Bychkova. And, according to The Sun, Giovanni and some of his co-stars, are booked to perform at the Dancing With The Stars showcases in Windsor and Newport next year. However, this could come as a rule-break as the broadcaster forbids its stars from taking on work that could be deemed to similar to the show that made them famous. The policy states: 'Actors and artists in BBC output should not appear in promotional work which mimics on-air roles.' Amanda Holden showed off her incredible figure while on holiday in Greece on Monday. The BGT judge, 53, soaked up some sun a blue bikini, consisting of a strapless top and matching bottoms. She layered over a coordinating floral shirt and accessorised her beach ready look with a straw cowboy hat. Amanda shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of oversized sunglasses and flashed a smile for the camera. She captioned the post: 'Bikini, hat and shirt by @melissaodabash #family,' alongside a Greek flag. Amanda Holden, 53, showed off her incredible figure while on holiday in Greece on Monday The BGT judge soaked up some sun a blue bikini, consisting of a strapless top and matching bottoms The family holiday comes after the actresses daughter Lexi was recently admitted to a hospital with life-threatening E. coli amid the latest outbreak. The TV star's daughter Lexi, 18, who was sitting her A-levels at the time, was reportedly on a ward for five days with Amanda and her husband Chris at her bedside. While discussing the warning signs to look out for amid the latest outbreak, Amanda revealed to The Sun that her daughter Lexi had been suffering from bloating and stomach cramps. She said: 'For about three weeks, Lexi had been complaining of bloating and stomach cramps.' 'She was not happy at all and in quite a lot of pain with her tummy.' 'It was around the time of revision and her A-levels, so I was just putting this down to exam stress.' However, Amanda admitted that after taking her daughter to her GP, who insisted on her doing some blood and stool samples, the results came back as a bacterial infection. The star then revealed that while she was filming in Spain, she began to get calls from various government officials asking her to fill out several forms about where her daughter might have eaten and what kind of food they had stored in their home. The family holiday comes after the actresses daughter Lexi was recently admitted to a hospital with life-threatening E. coli amid the latest outbreak (pictured together in December) Stating that the cultures come back, Amanda revealed that Lexi has VTEC E. coli, which is a very harmful strain of bacteria thats very rare in humans. Amanda also told how perplexed she was by the news as she couldn't work out how her daughter came down with the bacterial infection. She admitted that she even had her rabbits and cat checked after the doctor asked if she lived on a farm or had any livestock, as the infection is usually affiliated with farmers. The star also confessed that the antibiotics her daughter was given didn't seem to be working and claimed her doctor called her saying 'I don't want to alarm you' before telling her Lexi's bloods were 'through the roof' and she was in danger of 'contracting sepsis'. The mother-of-two claimed that hearing the word sepsis was 'terrifying' to say the least. According to Amanda, Lexi was the 113th case in the country but the doctor warned them that this was the tip-of-the-iceberg as more cases were to come. She said: 'For about three weeks, Lexi had been complaining of bloating and stomach cramps' Amanda then admitted that after taking her daughter to her GP, who insisted on Lexi doing some blood and stool samples, the results came back as a rare bacterial infection Amanda then issued an update on her daughter's health by revealing that she was finally let out after being in the hospital for five days, however, she has been back and forth for more blood tests. A verotoxigenic E. coli, known as VTEC, is a harmful strain of a bacterium called Escherichia coli. Most E. coli strains are harmless and live in the gut of humans and other animals without causing any problems. VTEC, however, is capable of producing a toxin that can cause serious illness. Symptoms associated with E. coli usually present around two to four days after ingesting the bacteria and these may include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Ana, 52, admitted she was 'sad' to see Biden drop out of the presidential race Ana Navarro has slammed Hollywood actor George Clooney for publicly calling on Joe Biden to step down in his scathing op-ed for the New York Times and claimed the President has been 'dragged relentlessly' for the past three weeks. During Monday's episode of The View, the panel - led by moderator Whoopi Goldberg - weighed in on Biden's shock decision to eliminate himself from the 2024 Presidential race, and Navarro, 52, did not hold back when it came to sharing her thoughts. The Republican political strategist admitted: 'I was sad. You know, as I've said here many times, I love Joe Biden and I'm full of gratitude to Joe Biden today. So, Joe Biden, thank you for everything, over 54 years of career... So I was sad in the way that when you see a champion athlete retire, leave it all on the field and walk away into the sunset, that made me sad, it gave me nostalgia. 'I was also mad because he's been dragged relentlessly for three weeks by some people who supposedly were his friends. I hope that a lot of those donors that went out and said all sorts of things about him come back with a big check now!' Pointing the finger directly at the Ocean's Eleven actor, she then said: 'George Clooney, contigo!' which means 'with you' in Spanish as the live studio audience laughed at her blunt comment. Ana Navarro has slammed George Clooney for publicly calling for President Joe Biden to step down The View's Ana claimed that Biden, 81, has been 'dragged relentlessly' for the past three weeks Navarro then continued her praise for the President and said: 'I'm grateful to his staff, I am grateful to Jill Biden, they have taken a lot of incoming in the last three weeks, a lot of attacks. They have been part of a very stable and steady administration. 'I will always be thankful. They took us out of the hell that was COVID and they took us out of the hell that was Trump, for that, grateful until the end of my days,' she added. Earlier this month, Clooney turned on Biden and demanded he step aside from the 2024 race after his disastrous debate and widespread concerns about whether he can serve four more years. The Hollywood megastar, who has hosted fundraisers for the 81-year-old, said Biden couldn't win the 'battle against time' in his first-person piece and also condemned Democratic party leaders for ignoring 'every warning sign' of Biden's declining physical and mental health, and for trying to defend his car-crash performance against Donald Trump. He added that Democrat voters 'collectively hold our breath or turn down the volume whenever we see the president, who we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question.' Clooney wrote in The New York Times: '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, he's won many of the battles he's faced. 'But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It's 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 wasn't even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate,' he said. Clooney added: 'Joe Biden is a hero; he saved democracy in 2020. We need him to do it again in 2024.' Sara Haines defended Clooney when Sunny Hostin (right) claimed people were 'forcing' Biden out Clooney pictured here at his $28 million fundraiser in June with Biden, Julia Roberts, and former President Barack Obama The New York Times article came just three weeks after Clooney hosted a record-breaking $28 million fundraiser for the president on June 16. The View panel have also been huge supporters of Biden, and during the discussion on Monday's show, Sunny Hostin admitted: 'I wasn't comfortable with the notion that people were forcing him out.' She added: 'I wasn't comfortable with the cannibalization that I saw in the Democratic Party, but I am comfortable if he made this decision with his inner circle, with Dr. Jill Biden, with his family, and decided to do it on his own.' However, Sara Haines also spoke up and said: 'I am also grateful and I thank Biden for his decades of service, but I do push back a little on Ana and Sunny's take on the party imploding. 'There is room for criticism when you're talking about the biggest job in the world, and I don't think those people that are friends, even George Clooney's op-ed was really touching and beautifully written saying, "This is hard to say out loud." A lot of those people were torn themselves.' Ben Affleck was spotted arriving at his Los Angeles office on Monday after missing Jennifer Lopez's Bridgerton-themed birthday bash over the weekend. The Good Will Hunting alum, 51, appeared in high spirits while making his way through the parking garage, despite rising concerns about the superstar couple's marital status. Looking dapper in a classic black suit with a navy shirt, the handsome matinee idol carried his beloved iced coffee and a black duffle bag for the morning outing. He flashed a hint of his megawatt smile as he entered the building's lobby before disappearing into an elevator. The office visit follows Ben's weekend on the West Coast, while his wife JLo celebrated her 55th birthday with a soiree in the Hamptons. Ben Affleck was spotted arriving at his Los Angeles office on Monday after missing Jennifer Lopez 's Bridgerton-themed birthday bash over the weekend The Good Will Hunting alum, 51, appeared in high spirits while making his way through the parking garage, despite rising concerns about the superstar couple's marital status At the event, numerous guests were seen arriving in regal attire, including Lopez's mother, Guadalupe Rodriguez, who wore a blue gown adorned with white lace detailing. JLo also recently spent her second wedding anniversary without her husband, as he remained in California while she holidayed on the East Coast. Ben's business meetings come after he was seen with his wedding ring on while leaving ex Jennifer Garner's house. The Batman actor who shares Violet, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12, with the Alias vet, 52 looked tense as he gripped the steering wheel of his Rivian SUV, allowing a peek at his nuptial band. Dressed in a yellow T-shirt and sipping a soda, the handsome matinee idol drove through Brentwood's upscale neighborhood after attending several business meetings in recent days. The visit to Garner's pad comes amid reports that Ben and JLo's marital woes have nothing to do with her status as a global superstar. 'The idea that Ben thinks Jennifer is too famous and that he didn't know what he was getting into with the attention on their marriage isn't true,' a source told People on Friday. They added, 'There are deeper issues.' Looking dapper in a classic black suit and navy blue shirt, the handsome matinee idol carried his beloved iced coffee and a black duffle bag for the morning outing He flashed a hint of his megawatt smile as he entered the building's lobby before disappearing into an elevator The couple, who have not been pictured together for two months, appeared to spend their second wedding anniversary apart amid divorce rumors. On Tuesday, July 16, Ben was seen smiling in Los Angeles as he headed to his office, while Jennifer enjoyed a getaway in The Hamptons. These sightings coincided with the two-year anniversary of their wedding at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022. They had a more lavish ceremony the following month in Georgia. However, on their second anniversary, they were spotted on opposite coasts. This comes amid rumors that Jennifer and Ben are facing marital issues two years after their initial wedding. The couple also spent the Fourth of July weekend separately, with the This Is Me... Now star celebrating in the Hamptons with family and friends while the Deep Water actor stayed in Los Angeles. It was recently disclosed that their $60.85 million marital home in Beverly Hills is now publicly on the market. In June, the couple attempted to discreetly sell the 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom mansion but were unsuccessful. Earlier this summer, reports surfaced that Jen and Ben have been living apart for 'months,' amid speculation that they are headed for divorce. But JLo did wish her other half a Happy Father's Day. 'Our hero. Happy Father's Day,' she gushed over a black-and-white photo of Ben with a white heart emoji in an Instagram Story. The duo also recently attended Violet's high school graduation together. In May, sources told People Jennifer and Ben's marriage 'is not in the best place at the moment.' Meanwhile, Us Weekly recently claimed that there is a 'sliver of hope' that Ben and Jennifer could get back together. 'Jennifer suggested they just take time to figure it out,' the source said. On Saturday morning, as the preparations for her festivities kicked off, Lopez posted a beaming selfie on Instagram and wrote: 'Today is gonna be a great day' Affleck and Garner are parents to Violet, 18, Fin (formerly Seraphina) 15, and son Samuel, 12; Garner is seen with the kids in 2018 Affleck and Lopez have recently listed their $68 million marital home in Beverly Hills for sale and reportedly want to 'move forward'; Seen in February, 2023 It was also added that Bennifer 2.0 'still haven't made a decision' regarding splitting. Affleck and Garner announced their separation in 2015 after nearly 10 years of marriage, and officially filed for divorce in 2017. The 13 Going on 30 star has since moved on with businessman John Miller, while Ben rekindled his romance with Lopez in April 2021 before tying the knot in July 2022. Lopez shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme with her ex Marc Anthony. Morning Live has been taken off air for a month. The BBC magazine show started in 2020 and with the likes of former Coronation Street star Kym Marsh, Michelle Ackerley, Gethin Jones and Strictly's Helen Skelton presenting on a rotational basis. It airs at the same time at the same as ITV rivals Lorraine and This Morning but it has now been announced that it is taking a break. A social media post read: 'Here's this week's Strictly Fitness summer themed workout with Mr Neil Jones. 'Morning Live is on a break now. Join us on Monday 26th August from 9:30am for more Strictly Fitness. Morning Live has been taken off air for a month and will be replaced by Rip-Off Britain (pictured: Kym Marsh, Sam Quek, Gethin Jones, Kimberley Walsh, Sara Cox and Rav Wilding) It airs at the same time at the same as ITV rivals Lorraine and This Morning but it has now been announced that it is taking a break. The post concluded by reminding fans that they can still catch up on all the morning workouts with the Strictly Come Dancing professional by heading to their catchup service. It added: 'You can do all of the routines from this week in full & see how to do them sat down, on BBC iPlayer.' The news comes shortly after presenters Michele and Gethin revealing that they had to attend an 'improvement meeting' with the broadcaster. Gethin wrote: 'Michelle and me sitting down with the boss to discuss what we can do better.Love it. Always welcome a chance to improve.' In the meantime, Rip-Off Britain will air in its slot. Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh, 42, has also hosted the show but took a leave of absence so she could join The Promise hitmakers on their comeback tour. The news comes after Rav Wilding returned to the set of the show after his romance with former colleague Rebecca Mason was revealed. The news was announced with a post on social media, where bosses revealed that the show won't be back until the end of August Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh, 42, has also hosted the show but took a leave of absence so she could join The Promise hitmakers on their comeback tour Just weeks ago, Rav Wilding returned to the magazine show after his romance with former colleague Rebecca Mason was revealed The presenter, 46, announced on Instagram in April that he and his estranged TV producer wife secretly separated last year after 12 years together. And just several months after revealing his marriage split, it appears Rav has moved onto Surrey Police detective Rebecca. Upon his return, was joined on the panel by Dr Ranj Singh, TV presenter Rebecca Wilcox and DJ Tony Blackburn. Rav and Rebecca have posted a slew of cosy snaps on their Instagram accounts together at weddings, inside the studio, dinner dates and car journeys. Brittany Cartwright seemed to forget her troubles as she hit the beach in Santa Monica with her and estranged husband Jax Taylor's son Cruz on Sunday. The 35-year-old Kentucky native, who was recently hit with a $35K tax lien on her San Fernando Valley home, was all smiles and laughter with her three-year-old child. The star, who separated from 45-year-old Taylor earlier this year, was clad in a busty, royal blue, one-piece swimsuit. While arriving for the beach day via the former couple's white Jeep Wrangler, she wore a coordinating romper with a plunging front. During one moment, the Southern belle who rose to fame on Bravo's reality television series Vanderpump Rules threw her head back in a fit of laughter as she took a dip in the ocean with her boy. Brittany Cartwright seemed to forget her troubles as she hit the beach in Santa Monica with her and estranged husband Jax Taylor 's son Cruz on Sunday The 35-year-old Kentucky native, who was recently hit with a $35K tax lien on her San Fernando Valley home, was all smiles and laughter with her three-year-old child The Southern belle, who rose to fame on Bravo's reality television series Vanderpump Rules, threw her head back in a fit of laughter as she took a dip in the ocean with her boy The star, who separated from 45-year-old Taylor earlier this year, was clad in a busty, royal blue, one-piece swimsuit Cartwright, who wed Taylor in 2019, pulled her long, blonde-highlighted locks into a ponytail for the day of sunshine. At some moments, she arranged the tresses in a fuss-free bun atop her head. And she shielded her eyes with a stylish pair of glossy, onyx, rectangular sunglasses. Brittany arrived to the beach in a pair of white Christian Dior flats and she flaunted a pointy, almond-shaped, milky nude manicure. Documents recently obtained by DailyMail.com revealed a state tax lien has been placed on Brittany and Jax's $1.9 million Valley Village home by the California Franchise Tax Board. The lien was filed on June 12, 2024 in the amount of $35,239.88. The Valley star has been 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 and they declined to comment. At some moments, she arranged her tresses in a fuss-free bun atop her head and she shielded her eyes with a stylish pair of glossy, onyx, rectangular sunglasses Brittany flaunted a pointy, almond-shaped, milky nude manicure Cartwright carried her only child, who wore blue and white patterned swim trunks, on her hip At the start of the beach day, she wore a coordinating romper with a plunging front She pulled her long, blonde-highlighted locks into a ponytail for the day of sunshine. Little Cruz seemed to thoroughly enjoy lapping up the sun with his mom The legal documents pertaining to the home state that 'further interest and fees will accrue' until the lien is paid. Cartwright and Taylor moved into the 3,765-square-foot five-bedroom home in May 2019, ahead of their June wedding. At the time, Brittany took to social media to share a snap in front of their house, 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 residence near the homes of co-stars Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval, and Ariana Madix. Documents recently obtained by DailyMail.com revealed a state tax lien has been placed on Brittany and Jax's $1.9 million Valley Village home by the California Franchise Tax Board The Valley star has been living in an Airbnb following her separation from Jax after nearly five years of marriage Brittany arrived to the beach in a pair of white Christian Dior flats while her little one wore black Nike slides Brittany arrived via her white Jeep Wrangler In April Brittany shared on an episode of the podcast Not Skinny but Not Fat that she still pays 'all the bills' at home while Jax 'pays the mortgage.' The legal documents pertaining to the home state that 'further interest and fees will accrue' until the lien is paid Brittany clutched a blue, steel water bottle during the outing Brittany and Jax announced their separation in late February. While appearing on the podcast Not Skinny but Not Fat earlier this year, Brittany said she 'put down as much money' as Jax to buy their property. She also said she was paying for Cruz's school expenses, insurance, and for their car. Following the separation, the mother-of-one also revealed Jax suggested she 'move back in the house and live in the main bedroom and [he] live in the guest room,' which she turned down. 'I'm like, "That's not happening." I'll just keep spending a s**t ton of money on Airbnbs until we figure out what we're gonna do,' she said. When the Duchess of Sussex aimed a volley of bombshells at the Royal Family in her Netflix 'docu-series' with Prince Harry in 2022, one of those caught by flying shrapnel was Mishal Husain. The BBC star had conducted the television interview broadcast after Meghan's engagement to Prince Harry was announced five years earlier. The former actress suggested that Husain's sit-down with the couple had been an 'orchestrated reality show'. To add insult to injury, Meghan complained that the distinguished Radio 4 presenter 'wasn't empathetic enough, wasn't warm enough' to conduct the interview, according to a senior royal source. It was said that Meghan would have preferred her fellow American Oprah Winfrey to have been selected for the job. Now, however, the usually mild-mannered Husain has been moved to respond to the Duchess of Sussex's criticism. She suggests that the attack left her bewildered. And, far from Meghan being the naive victim of some co-ordinated Establishment plot, she and Harry appeared to have given much thought to what they would say about their plans. Meghan Markle has claimed the sit-down interview with Husain to announce her engagement to Prince Harry was an 'orchestrated reality show' The usually mild-mannered Mishal Husain has been moved to respond to the Duchess of Sussex's criticism. She suggests that the attack left her bewildered 'When the Duchess of Sussex said that my engagement interview with her and Harry was an 'orchestrated reality show' I didn't know what to make of it,' Husain writes in the August issue of Saga magazine. 'They seemed to have thought through what their new lives would be like and what marriage would mean for her life in particular.' Husain adds that there was no hint of the trouble to come. 'There was nothing that pointed to what would happen,' she says. 'It was two people who were full of joy in each other and life.' After the Netflix series was broadcast, the BBCs director-general at the time of Husains interview, Lord Hall, rejected Meghans criticism, saying it was simply untrue to suggest the talk was staged. In the aftermath, Husain borrowed a phrase from the late Queen Elizabeths response to Meghans allegations of racism within the Royal Family. Recollections may vary, Husain said wryly on the Today programme. But my recollection is definitely very much, asked to do an interview, and do said interview. Sixties icon Christie cuts a jaunty figure Screen siren Julie Christie bewitched generations of men, was a lover of Terence Stamp and Warren Beatty, and was voted responsible for one of cinema's sexiest moments 'a crucial erotic scene unsurpassed in movie history', according to one besotted critic for her performance opposite Donald Sutherland in thriller Don't Look Now. Screen siren Julie Christie, now aged 84, still cuts a stylish figure even when carrying out errands near her East London home. She was seen pulling a shopping trolley while wearing cargo trousers, a denim shirt and white sandals Now aged 84, the Oscar winner still cuts a stylish figure even when carrying out errands near her East London home. She was seen pulling a shopping trolley while wearing cargo trousers, a denim shirt and white sandals. Her eye-catching red scarf and tortoiseshell sunglasses completed the trendy look. It was the first time she had been seen in public since the death of Sutherland last month at the age of 88. Acropolis now! Tyrone fiancee's rocking hen do How about this for a rock'n'roll hen do? Faye Harris, the daughter of heavy metal headbanger Steve Harris, of Iron Maiden, partied with pals ahead of her wedding to Tyrone Wood, son of Rolling Stones star Ronnie. Faye Harris, the daughter of heavy metal headbanger Steve Harris, of Iron Maiden, partied with pals ahead of her wedding to Tyrone Wood, son of Rolling Stones star Ronnie The bash was in Athens, but the hens almost didn't make it because of travel problems at the weekend caused by the IT meltdown. 'Nothing can keep us from celebrating,' said one of them. 'Not even the biggest IT outage in history.' Hard Rock Life! Nigel Kennedy forced to relearn violin Punk violinist Nigel Kennedy says he was forced to relearn his craft after going partially deaf. He blames a Covid-19 booster jab he received in 2021. 'I did end up losing hearing after the third jab,' the 67-year-old musician tells me. 'I could hear stuff, but not whether it was in tune so easily, so I had to retrain myself. Punk violinist Nigel Kennedy says he was forced to relearn his craft after going partially deaf. He blames a Covid-19 booster jab he received in 2021 It took a lot of actual mental intelligence and concentration to get the hearing back and re-teach myself.' Why Danielle's a very Merry Widow Danielle De Niese was due to perform at Glyndebourne last year. However, she pulled out to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End musical Aspects Of Love instead. Now, the celebrated soprano may have found an ingenious way to get the best out of both worlds. Danielle De Niese (pictured) was due to perform at Glyndebourne last year. However, she pulled out to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End musical Aspects Of Love instead Danielle, 45, pictured with pal Joanna Lumley, tells me: 'It's just so exciting to have a hit show, in such high demand I hear that The Merry Widow, in which she is starring at Glyndebourne in East Sussex, may win a West End transfer. 'Senior figures from Cameron Mackintosh's top team and theatre group Nimax have been checking out the show,' claims my man in the stalls. Danielle, 45, tells me: 'It's just so exciting to have a hit show, in such high demand. 'And we've had some great friends come down to see the show, raving about it to anyone who will listen.' Is Adam Peaty engaged to girlfriend Holly Ramsay? Does swimmer Adam Peaty, who's preparing for the Olympics in Paris, have something to celebrate already? BBC presenter Gabby Logan suggests that triple-Olympic gold medallist Peaty is engaged to his girlfriend Holly Ramsay, daughter of the potty-mouthed television chef Gordon Ramsay. During BBC One's Olympics Preview Show there was a clip of Peaty with the restaurateur. Triple-Olympic gold medallist Adam Peaty is engaged to his girlfriend Holly Ramsay, daughter of the potty-mouthed television chef Gordon Ramsay Peaty, 29, who has a three-year-old with his former long-term partner, Eirianedd Munro, met Holly, 24, when he was competing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 in the same series as her sister, Tilly Logan remarked: 'His [Peaty's] soon-to-be father-in-law, of course, is Gordon Ramsay.' Peaty, 29, who has a three-year-old with his former long-term partner, Eirianedd Munro, met Holly, 24, when he was competing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 in the same series as her sister, Tilly. Holly's spokesman insists the couple are not yet engaged. It looks like there's going to be another wedding in the Grainge family. Sofia Richie joyfully FaceTimed her sister-in-law Alice Grainge - who was proudly flashing a dazzling diamond ring, indicating she had just said 'yes.' The influencer, 25, who is married to Alice's brother Elliot Grainge, was seen FaceTiming her sister-in-law in an Instagram Story posted by her pal Ali Meller. Both Ali and Sofia beamed with happiness as they watched Alice hold up her brand new bling. Ali shared the photo to her Instagram Stories on Monday, writing in the photo, 'I love you guys so much,' along with a heart and diamond ring emoji. Sofia Richie celebrated her sister-in-law Alice Grainge's engagement on Monday In the photo, Alice beamed as she sat beside a man - presumably her fiance - whose face was mostly out of frame. Ali tagged Alice and Gal Elkriaf in the post. Alice is Elliot's half-sister and is the daughter of Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge and his second wife Caroline. Elliot is the son of the Lucian and his first wife Samantha Berg, who died tragically in 2007. Sofia officially became a member of the Griange family last year, and in May she gave birth to her and Elliot's first child together, a baby girl named Eloise. She recently celebrated Eloise turning two-months-old, taking to Instagram to share a faceless photo of her little girl. The child was dressed in a green gingham dress with pink stitching and bows as she relaxed on a woven blanket. Near the youngster was a pink cupcake and a leopard card that read 'Two Months.' The daughter of Lionel Richie added various happy-tear emojis over the snap. The blonde beauty and her husband have yet to post a full image of their newborn for privacy reasons. Another snap showed a wicker stroller and a pink cupcake that read '2 months' in green icing, along with the same card. Richie and Grainge welcomed their first child whose full name is Eloise Samantha Grainge on May 20. Richie is married to Alice's brother Elliot Grainge; pictured in February Richie took to her Instagram Story to share a faceless photo of her daughter, Eloise, on Saturday two months after her birth Another snap showed a wicker stroller and a pink cupcake that read '2 months' in green icing The newborn's middle name serves as a tribute to Elliot's late mother Samantha, who passed in 2007. While giving birth to Elliot in 1993, the businessman's mother had an amniotic fluid embolism, resulting in a coma that she remained in until her death. Sofia and Elliot had been acquaintances for several years before they began dating in early 2021. They became engaged in 2022 and said 'I do' in 2023. Last month, a source close to the couple revealed that they are still 'adjusting' to life as parents. 'Sofia and Elliot have been on cloud nine since welcoming baby Eloise. They are still adjusting to becoming parents, but it's come fairly natural to both of them,' they told Us Weekly. The insider also shared that the pair is trying to keep their newborn from the limelight and are reluctant to let others visit. She shares the little one with husband Elliot Grainge; seen in February Last month, a source close to the couple revealed that they are still 'adjusting' to life as parents 'Sofia and Elliot haven't let many people over to see the baby, they're both being very protective,' they claimed. The insider shared that the new mom 'still has that pregnancy glow' and that she 'can't believe' she has a baby. 'It's all very surreal,' the source claimed of the new parents. The cast of Married At First Sight have been left devastated after they were told they will not be invited this year's Logie Awards next month. Despite the show being nominated for an award, some leading cast members are fuming over their exclusion from the prestigious event. Scheduled for August 18 in Sydney, the glamorous event, which is broadcast on Channel Seven, will see the who's who of television come together. According to an insider, several cast members who were initially promised invitations, have now been informed they will no longer be attending. 'Cast were told it was a Channel Seven event and the number of invites being handed out to Channel Nine talent would be extremely limited,' said the source. This unexpected decision by Seven has left many cast members feeling 'betrayed and disappointed'. With 24 participants appearing on the show this year, it was always anticipated that only a select few would secure invites due to the limited number handed out by the network. Daily Mail Australia recently revealed only a select few participants, if any, would be considered to attend this year's ceremony. The cast of Married At First Sight have been left disappointed after they were told they will not be invited this year's Logie Awards next month. Pictured: Eden Harper Despite the show being nominated for an award, some leading cast members are fuming over their exclusion from the prestigious event Front runners included Lucinda Light, Tristan Black, and couple Jade Pywell and Ridge Barredo. It's likely experts Mel Schilling, John Aiken and Alessandra Rampolla will instead be attending to represent the show. Despite their relationship going strong, Jack Dunkley and Tori Adams are unlikely to receive an invite following their controversial stint on the show. According to an insider, several cast members who were initially promised invitations have now been informed they will no longer be attending As of Tuesday, none of this year's cast have received any invites yet, despite some boasting that they have secured an invite to the highly coveted event. 'No one has any clue what's going on. [The cast] are pretty in the dark about it,' one insider told Daily Mail Australia. 'Some are livid because they chose to behave thinking they would land an invite but now they're told they're more than likely not going.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Seven for comment. It can liberate the mind from perpetual conflict and lead to inner peace Recall the iconic lines, of Amitabh Bachchan in the movie Deewar looks intently at the idol of Lord Shiva and says, Bahut khush hoge tum! Bachchan, in the movie, essayed the role of an atheist smuggler. However, eventually, in the final stages of his life, he surrenders to the Supreme Power and seeks forgiveness. True enlightenment is the art of living compassionately. The human mind and heart reach a point of inflexion where an act of pardon remains an inescapable reality. A prosaic individual might not be able to separate the chaff from the grain. His mind is full of antipathetic thoughts that he cannot transcend the barrier and is unable to exonerate anyone who has inflicted pain or hardship on him. The mind, full of gloom-ridden and obstructive thoughts cannot perceive the divinity in others. It remains perpetually in a state of conflict. Such an emotionally distraught person would castigate even angelic and divine figures out of callowness. Several organised and structured religions lay prominence on the art of forgiveness. If an individual does not rise to the sublime spheres of compassion and forgiveness, then he gets trapped in the whirlpool of cause and effect. The unabated Karmic cycle continues without any resolution. The pivot is to fortify and protect the human mind to make it robust and compassionate. It attempts to extricate the self from the cause and effect of actions and even non-actions. Action and non-actions of humans indeed leave an indelible impression on the human mind. It would be perspicacious to pose as to how non-actions are also a kind of Karmic activity and in what manner it impacts the human mind and consciousness. Non-action in a way represents not taking up the gauntlet. Sage Ashtavakra, who authored the treatise, Ashtavakra Gita, posits a theory that an individual should break the bondage of guilt and anger to invoke the grace of remission. There is a poignant Zen story that explains the exemplary tenets of compassion and forgiveness. Aeons ago a Zen Master summoned his tutees in a Temple of Knowledge and asked them if they harboured the antipathetic emotion of hatred in their minds. Yes! exclaimed the disciples. The Master directed his disciples to place a potato each in their bag and always travel with it as a reminder that despite the practice of meditation and breathing exercises their prana level was not high enough to expatriate hatred and inculcate compassion.The number of potatoes was to increase depending on the quantum of anger and would be directly proportional to the antipathy in their minds. Some young monks ended up carrying a bagful of potatoes, which over a period became malodorous. In sheer exasperation, the harried disciples sought refuge in the grace of the master to dispense away with the bag. The Zen Master guffawed and chided his students to abandon the negative trait of abhorrence from their minds, lest the malodour of these traits become a burden all through their lives.To lead a warm and healthy life, individuals should embark upon the path of forgiveness and compassion. This suffuses the mind with immense strength and courage of conviction. It would be insightful for any individual to make positive affirmations, reinforcing love for every animate and inanimate object to build a divine society. Such affirmations would train the mind to remain unruffled and spread the quintessential gospel of forgiveness. Thereby humans would truly embrace fellow beings. If we construe the human mind to be the hardware, compassionate thoughts and forgiveness are part of non-negotiable software. (The writer is the CEO of Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd.and Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd. He is a faculty of the Art of Living; views expressed are personal) In a remarkable display of operational efficiency and courage, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) executed a daring medical evacuation mission from the Motor Tanker Zeal of Gabon Republic, situated approximately 20 kilometers from the Mangrol coast in Gujarat. The incident unfolded when the ICG received distressing reports of a critically-ill Indian national aboard the Motor Tanker Zeal. The patient was reported to be experiencing a very low pulse and severe numbness in the lower body, necessitating immediate evacuation for urgent medical care. Despite facing adverse weather conditions characterised by high-intensity winds and heavy rainfall, the ICG Air Enclave based in Porbandar promptly launched an Advanced Light Helicopter. The helicopter navigated through the challenging weather to reach the Motor Tanker Zeal. Upon arrival at the scene, the helicopter crew demonstrated precision and skill by positioning themselves directly over the tanker and deploying a rescue basket. The patient was carefully lifted aboard the helicopter and swiftly transported to Porbandar for further medical attention. A statement issued by the Union Defence Ministry highlighted the successful execution of the evacuation mission, emphasising the ICG's unwavering commitment to maritime safety and its preparedness to respond to emergencies under the most demanding circumstances. The evacuated individual is now under medical care in Porbandar, added the statement. The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Director, IIT-Delhi to set up a team of three experts that would go into a particular question of Physics asked in the NEET-UG 2024 examination and submit a report on the correct answer by Tuesday noon. The top courts order to IIT Delhi to set up a team of three domain experts to examine the issue of the correct answer to a question came at the fag end of the day-long hearing on a batch of petitions including those which are seeking a re-test of the controversy-ridden NEET-UG on grounds of question paper-leak and other malpractices. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud asked the petitioners seeking re-test to show with the help of data released by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which holds the examination, that there was a systemic failure in its conduct, and the paper leak was widespread and not restricted to Patna and Hazaribagh only. How do you establish that the paper leak was all over India? the CJI asked. During the hearing, the bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, took note of the submissions of some aspirants that a question of Physics had two correct answers and a set of examinees, who gave one particular answer out of the two correct ones, were awarded four marks. It also considered submissions that there were three sets of aspirants, and one set got minus five for the correct answer, the second secured four marks for another correct answer, and the third group comprised those who skipped it for either want of knowledge or due to the fear of getting negative marks. This would have a significant impact on the merit list of successful candidates, the bench was told. The bench reproduced the controversial question in its order and said, As indicated..., four options were indicated in the question as framed, of which, students had to select one option as their answer. In order to resolve the issue as regards the correct answer to the ...Question, we are of the considered view that an expert opinion should be sought from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. We request the Director at IIT Delhi to constitute a team of three experts of the subject concerned. The expert team constituted by the Director is requested to formulate its opinion on the correct option for the above question and to remit its opinion to the Secretary General of this Court, preferably by 12 noon on 23 July 2024, it ordered. It asked the SCs Secretary General to communicate the order to the IIT Director for expeditious steps. The court made it clear that the order seeking the opinion of experts on a question would not mean that the pleas for cancellation of the examination have failed. It will resume hearing as many as 40 petitions on Tuesday, when it will hear submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and others on behalf of the Centre and the National Testing Agency. Earlier in the day, the bench sought data from senior advocate Narender Hooda, appearing for students, to show that there was a systemic failure in conducting the test. Observing that there was no material on record so far to show that the leak was widespread, the bench said there have been instances of some wrongdoing in Patna and Hazaribagh but they were not sufficient to indicate a systemic failure. Hooda said the NTA and others admitted to the paper leak and its dissemination through social media. At the outset, the bench asked as to what emerged from the city and centre-wise data of results put out by the NTA. It also perused the statements of the accused recorded by Patna police and said the question papers were leaked either on the night of May 4 or a day after when the test took place. Hooda alleged the probe was botched up because of the stand taken by the Centre. Dont take the name of the Government of India...I am answerable to students, to the court...Please dont make any such statements, Mehta responded. The law officer said the NTA has conducted an exercise about the success rate of particular centres, cities and states, allegedly affected by the question paper leak, and there was no abnormality. We have to see if the leak is localised and see if the paper was leaked at 9 am and solved by 10:30 am (on exam day). If we do not believe this, then you have to show us that the leak was beyond Hazaribagh and Patna, the bench told the counsel for the examinees. The bench drew the attention of lawyers to the award of grace marks and time to students who appeared at three centres at Jhajjar in Haryana. Hooda referred to a school in Jhajjar and said the principal went to State Bank of India (SBI) and Canara Bank branches and collected two sets of question papers. This was done despite the fact that only question papers in SBIs safe custody were to be distributed for the test, he said. Question papers from Canara Bank were distributed, and when it became public that there were six students who got 720/720 at a centre in Jhajjar, the NTA said grace marks were given to them to compensate for the loss of time, he said. But the principal says there was no delay. And the Canara Bank question papers were distributed instead of SBIs, he added. The bench asked the NTA to tell in how many centres the question papers collected from Canara Bank were distributed. How did Canara Bank give the papers with the letter of authorisation and who issued this letter of authorisation? the bench asked. The Director General of the NTA gives the authorisation letter to the city examination superintendent, the law officer said. Giving some examples here and there will not establish that this leak was all over India, Mehta contended. Hooda alleged there was a complete systemic failure and listed out some more instances. He said there was no address verification and no CCTV camera monitoring at examination centres. Hooda claimed a student from Gujarat, who failed the class 12th board examination, scored big in the NEET after appearing at a Centre in Karnataka. If this court is not considering re-NEET, at least qualified people should be asked to retake the exam, which will be about 13 lakh people, Hooda said. Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde said, admittedly, there has been a leak from Hazaribagh and it was caught in Patna. We do not know today where all it leaked. Investigation reports say some of the messages went to about 100 people, he said. More than 23.33 lakh students had taken the test on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 overseas. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country. The first day of the Monsoon cum Budget Session on Monday witnessed the ruling party and Opposition members face off over the NEET and NTA row with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanding immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who in turn said he is on the post at the mercy of his leader (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and that the Government is collectively answerable. While Opposition called the current entrance examination system rubbish, Centre asserted there have been no evidence of entrance exam paper leaks in last seven years. Rahul carried on with his scathing attacks. Its obvious to the whole country that there is a very serious problem in our examination system. The Minister has blamed everybody except himself. I dont even think he understands the fundamentals of what is going on here, the Congress leader said. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said this Government will create new records in paper leaks. Students across the country are protesting. Investigation is leading to revelations, arrests are being made. I have only one request, students will not get justice if this Minister continues, he said. In response, Pradhan said the results have been made public as per the Supreme Courts directions. I dont want to do politics, but I have a list of how many paper leaks happened when Akhilesh was in charge (as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister), he said. Hitting back, Pradhan said he has the support of the people in his constituency and does not need a certification of intelligence from anyone in Parliament. Lies will not become truth if you shout. The countrys examination system has been called rubbish. There cannot be a more unfortunate statement by the Leader of the Opposition. I condemn this, said Pradhan in the thick of storm ever since irregularities in the NEET followed by UGC-NET have been reported. A cornered Pradhan then took a remote control jab a swipe the BJP routinely use to target the Manmohan Singh Government. In 2010, three Bills for education reforms had been introduced by their Minister Kapil Sibal. One of them was to prohibit unfair practices. What was their problem? Under whose pressure was that Bill withdrawn. Was it due to the pressure of private medical colleges? And they are asking us questions he said. Responding to the Oppositions allegations, the Minister said the NTA has conducted more than 240 exams and over 5 crore students have appeared in them. There is no evidence of the paper leak in the last seven years, he said, adding that the Centres is hiding nothing. As the opposition sought to corner the government on the issue of paper leaks, Speaker Om Birla said it is not right to raise questions about all exams and members should discuss the need of developing a better examination system. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET and has lodged six FIRs. The NEET-UG is conducted by the National Testing Agency for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions. The Speaker stressed that there should be constructive discussions on the issue. If questions are raised about all examinations in the country, it have an impact on the Indian education system and perception about it around the world, he noted. After Birla concluded his remarks, Rahul Gandhi wanted to speak but was disallowed and sooner the entire Opposition members, including from TMC and DMK, walked out of the House. Congress Deputy Leader in the House Gaurav Gogoi raised slogans demanding the resignation of Pradhan. Speaking to media later Rahul said the opposition will keep raising the issue to build pressure on the government. Asked if he was satisfied with the ministers response in the House, Rahul said the minister should give an answer. He spoke about the Supreme Court, he spoke about the prime minister, but perhaps he did not understand and was not able to tell what he was doing about it (NEET). The NEET exam issue came up for discussion during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha with several opposition leaders, including the LoP, saying there was a very serious problem in the countrys examination system. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Union Budget for 2024-25 on Tuesday which will be the first Budget of the Modi government since the NDA came back to power for a third straight term. Sitharaman will be presenting her seventh consecutive Budget, surpassing the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai. The session is scheduled to have 16 sittings and is likely to conclude on August 12. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that this session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2024-25 which will be presented on July 23. Late in the evening INDIA bloc leaders led by Congress held a meeting to decide and be united to carry on with their strategy to corner the Modi government on range of issues including the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Governments order to display nameplates at eateries enroute Kanwar Yatra, rising cases of terror attacks in Jammu and compromise of various examination system including the UPSC. Close on the heels of the high-level security review meeting, chaired by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi to chalk out a strategy to flush out Pakistani terrorists occupying Jammu Heights, a heavily armed group of terrorists launched two more frontal attacks on an Army post and the house of the Shaurya Chakra awardee in the Gunda village of Khawas tehsil in the frontier Rajouri district in the wee hours of Monday. Following these fresh attacks, the entire security grid has been alerted to conduct a fresh audit of the security arrangements given the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Drass to participate in the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations marking 25 years of Victory in the Kargil war. The Village Defence Group member Parshotam Kumar remained unscathed in the attack while one of his close relatives received minor injuries during the firing incident. It is the first such attempt in recent months where terrorists brazenly targeted a member of the village defence guard. Official sources claimed the foreign terrorists were reportedly briefed about the presence of Shaurya Chakra awardee in the village and local over-ground workers must have shared the exact coordinates with the terrorists to target him. Kumar was bestowed the Shaurya Chakra, the peacetime equivalent of wars Vir Chakra by the President of India on July 5 in New Delhi. According to the citation, Last year in August 2023, Kumar, armed with an outmoded, inferior rifle had taken on two highly trained guerrilla warfare terrorists of the PAFF-Jaish, who were equipped with sophisticated assault rifles and grenades. Unmindful of his safety, he tailed the two terrorists and (displaying) raw courage and excellent field craft, he closed in on the terrorists and engaged them from a close distance. He maintained contact with the other till (security) forces closed in. His brave act led to the neutralisation of one foreign terrorist. Soon after thwarting the terror attack a hot chase was launched by the joint team of security forces to track down the footprints of terrorists. Special forces were also inducted in the ongoing operations spread across the thickly forested area. In a post on X, White Knight Corps said, Terrorists attacked the house of a VDC at Gunda, Rajouri at 3.10 am. A nearby Army column reacted and a firefight ensued. In another update the White Knight Corps posted on X, Indian Army acted on intelligence, anticipating the threat to a Village Defence Guard in a remote area in Rajouri - Reasi. Tactical teams swiftly intervened, ensuring no harm to the VDC member and his family. Operations are continuing and a firefight is in progress. Additional troops remained stationed in the area during the day to instil confidence among the fear-stricken residents. The villagers also raised the demand to equip the local village defence guards with modern weapons to tackle the growing threat of terrorist violence in the remote areas of the Jammu region. To counter the growing threat of terrorism in the Jammu region the Indian Army has already inducted more than 3,000 troops and 500 para commandos to launch massive combing operations to neutralise Pakistani terrorists active in the area. According to a preliminary assessment over 50 Pakistani terrorists have infiltrated inside the Indian territory to launch targeted strikes on the security forces. Delhi Revenue Minister Atishi on Monday announced setting up of 185 camps with amenities in the national Capital to welcome Kanwariyas. Senior AAP leader informed that around 15 to 20 lakh kanwars are expected to pass through Delhi who will be provided with Kanwar camps across the city, each equipped with high-quality waterproof tents, medical facilities, clean water, toilets, and furniture. She stated, The Kejriwal government is setting up 185 Kanwar camps this year in Delhi. These include East Delhi, North East Delhi and Shahdara districts which are the entry-exit points of Kanwariyas in Delhi. In such a situation, maximum camps are being set up here so that the crowd can be easily managed even after the arrival of a large number of Kanwariyas. Atishi added that maximum 38 camps are being set up in Shahdara district while 29, 22 and 19 camps are being set up in North East, Central and East Delhi respectively. "There are 185 Kanwar shivirs being put up. We try to ensure the best arrangement. We are setting up waterproof tents complete with furniture and bedding. The camps also have medical facilities. These kanwar yatris walk barefoot, and since it is monsoon season, they are also prone to water-borne diseases. So medical facilities are also available at these camps," she continued. The minister said Kanwars will start coming to Delhi after July 25, and the arrangements at the camps will be completed in the next couple of days. The Yatra commenced on the first day of Sawan (Shravan) on Monday and will culminate on August 2, as Ganga water will be offered to Lord Shiva. Executive Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal Prof (Dr.) Ajai Singh, made a courtesy call on the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav. The meeting highlighted the significant achievements and progress of AIIMS Bhopal over the past two years. Prof Singh briefed Yadav on the remarkable strides AIIMS Bhopal has made under his leadership. Notably, the institution was absent from any rankings in the category of best medical facilities in the country until two years ago. However, since Prof. Singh's tenure began in August 2022, the institute has seen substantial advancements. One of the key highlights shared during the meeting was the dramatic improvement in AIIMS Bhopal's ranking among government medical colleges. The institution climbed from the 20th position in 2023 to the 16th position in 2024. Additionally, AIIMS Bhopal secured the second position in the list of best emerging colleges and achieved the third position among the highest-scoring colleges established in the year 2000 and thereafter. Prof Singh also detailed the emergency medical training program that AIIMS Bhopal is conducting in collaboration with the National Health Mission of Madhya Pradesh. This initiative aims to train over 500 doctors and nursing officers from primary health centers across various districts of the state. The training is designed to enhance the management of trauma and emergency cases statewide. Chief Minister Yadav expressed his appreciation for the achievements of AIIMS Bhopal and congratulated Prof (Dr.) Ajai Singh for his dedicated efforts. He emphasized the importance of continued progress in improving healthcare services and infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister expressed hope that AIIMS Bhopal would remain committed to advancing the health and well-being of the state's population, thereby strengthening the overall health infrastructure. The State Backward Classes Commission conducted a meeting with district officials, addressing grievances and reviewing departmental compliance. In a gesture of welcome, Deputy Commissioner Vijaya Jadhav presented a sapling to Chairman Yogendra Prasad Mahto. The session was presided over by the esteemed Chairman, Yogendra Prasad Mahto, and attended by commission members and district officials. During the meeting, the commission heard complaints received from various sources. Chairman Yogendra Prasad Mahto, along with other commission members, expressed satisfaction with the compliance reports submitted by the departments. However, in some cases, the commission set deadlines for the submission of updated reports by the concerned officials. On the first day, the commission reviewed various matters related to the Education Department, Social Welfare Department, Land Acquisition Department, Revenue Department, Fisheries Department, Health Department, and Rural Development Department under schemes like MGNREGA and Abua Awas. The focus was on issues like children's enrollment under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, enrollment in Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls' School, selection of Sevikas, compensation distribution, and other grievances submitted by applicants. Chairman Yogendra Prasad Mahto remarked that the compliance on several issues had been satisfactory, but some reports were incomplete. He directed the concerned officials to submit updated reports by the specified deadlines. DC Vijaya Jadhav emphasized the importance of timely submission of reports requested by the commission. She instructed the relevant officials to ensure that all information sought by the commission is provided promptly. The meeting was attended by key district officials, including DRDA Director Menka, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Chas Anant Kumar, Assistant Director of Social Security Piyush, District Cooperative Officer Shweta Gudiya, District Panchayati Raj Officer Mohammed Safiq Alam, and others. The two-day visit by the State Backward Classes Commission aims to address and resolve issues faced by the backward classes in the district, ensuring efficient and effective governance. The Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra that was marred by violence last year concluded peacefully on Monday as it passed through Nuh amid tight security arrangements, with members of both Hindu and Muslim communities welcoming the procession at different points. Mahamandleshwar Swami Dharamdev said the yatra conveyed a powerful message of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood across the country. Chanting Har Har Mahadev and Jai Sri Ram, devotees started the yatra from Nalhar Mahadev Mandir and proceeded to Jhir Mandir in Ferozepur Jhirka here. The yatra, which spanned nearly 80 km, concluded at the temple in Singar village in the evening. Ahead of the yatra, tight security arrangements were made with deployment of over 2,000 security personnel including paramilitary and surveillance through drones to keep a check on malcontents. Meetings between representatives from both communities proved effective in making the yatra conclude on a peaceful note, officials said. The yatra, which entered Nuh district around 11 am, ended around 5.30 pm with the 'Jalabhishek' in the district's three main temples -- Nalhar Mahadev Temple, Ferozepur Jhirka's Jhir Temple and the temple in Singar village. In the morning, many devotees gathered at Radha Krishna temple in the adjoining Gurugram's Sector 10 before leaving for the Nalhar temple. Before the yatra began, a large group of women also reached the Nalhar Mahadev temple where they were accorded a warm welcome by Muslims at the Tiranga Chowk. Several groups of Muslims welcomed the saints part of the yatra with garlands along the route. Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, chairman of All India Imam Organization, had on Sunday visited Nalhar Mahadev Temple in Nuh to appeal for peace. Many welcome gates were erected and food stalls set up for the members of the procession. Liquor shops had been ordered shut on Sunday till the yatra was completed. Nuh Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata said the yatra was carried out smoothly amid stringent security. He and Superintendent of Police Vijay Pratap Singh had visited the three temples before the procession overseeing all arrangements. According to officials, over 2,000 personnel from police and paramilitary were deployed in the district ahead of the Monday procession. The Haryana Government had suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Nuh district a day before for 24 hours. Ex-soldier kills 5 of his family in Naraingarh, Ambala over property dispute Ambala/Chandigarh: In a shocking incident, an ex-serviceman allegedly killed five members of his family by slitting their throats with a sharp-edged weapon at Rataur village in Naraingarh of Ambala district on Sunday night due to a property dispute. The accused has been identified as Bhushan, who has been taken into custody along with his two brothers-in-law, said Ambala Police on Monday. Police said that those killed were identified as Bhushans mother, Sarupi, brother Harish and his wife Sonia, their daughter Yashika and a five-month-old baby. The accused, Bhushan, also attacked his father, Om Prakash, and another daughter of his brother. The injured father has been admitted to the Civil Hospital in Naraingarh. The daughter of the victim has been referred to GMCH-32 in Chandigarh with critical injuries. After the crime, the accused tried to cremate the bodies at night. Police reached the spot and recovered the half-burnt bodies. The retired soldier fled the spot but was rounded up by the police later. On receiving the information, SP Surendra Singh Bhauria reached the spot at 3 am and started investigating the case. The bodies have been shifted to the Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantonment, for post-mortem. According to Om Prakash, the crime was over a dispute over two acres of land. Over 600 staff nurses 43 OT assistants to be deployed at Shimla's IGMC Shimla: Over 600 staff nurses and 43 Operation Theatre Assistants will be deployed at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) to ensure proper medical care for the patients, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday. Currently, there are about 530 staff nurses employed at IGMC and over 500 posts are vacant. Last year, when a new multi-storey building housing OPD was inaugurated at the medical college, CM Sukhu had said that soon there will be a provision of one nurse attending to six beds and one doctor attending to 10 beds. Additionally, 30 posts of Medical Officers (MOs) will be filled to strengthen the department of emergency medicines at the IGMC, Sukhu said while presiding over a meeting of the health department. Sukhu highlighted the augmentation of infrastructure and filling of vacant posts for doctors, paramedical staff and technicians to ensure specialised medical care within the state. The Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialties here will offer super-specialty services, and the state government will provide better working conditions for doctors and supporting staff, he said. A study will be conducted to identify prevalent ailments and high-footfall OPDs, the CM said, adding that this will enable the government to increase doctor strength and facilities proportionally. He also assured that funds are available to incorporate modern technologies and equipment and allocated Rs 25 crore for IGMC's modernisation. 91% of Parivar Pehchan Patra complaints resolved in Samadhan Shivirs: Hry CS Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad on Monday said that about 91 percent of the grievances regarding the Parivar Pehchan Patra received in the Samadhan Shivirs organized at the district and subdivision levels have been resolved. Presiding over a review meeting of the Samadhan Shivirs with the Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, and Sub Divisional Officers virtually, Prasad said that over 30,831 grievances related to the Parivar Pehchan Patra were received, of which 28,138 have been resolved so far. He said that the public response to these Shivirs has been overwhelmingly positive. People have appreciated the government's initiative to address their grievances promptly in the Samadhan Shivirs, where officers from all departments are present to resolve issues on the spot as much as possible. The coordination among field officers has not only enhanced the government's image but also significantly increased public trust and satisfaction. The collaborative efforts in the field have demonstrated the administration's commitment to responsive governance, ensuring that citizens' concerns are addressed efficiently and effectively. This initiative has set a benchmark for proactive problem-solving and has reinforced the governments dedication to serving the public, he added. Hry Speaker to hear JJPs petition demanding disqualification of two JJP MLAs under anti-defection law Chandigarh: Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta on Monday decided to hear the petition filed by Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), demanding disqualification of two JJP MLAs under the anti-defection law. JJPs office secretary Randhir Singh had earlier submitted a petition regarding the same. In a 15-page petition containing evidence in the form of videos and newspaper clippings, the JJP said that the Narwana MLA, Ram Niwas, and Barwala MLA, Jogi Ram Sihag, should be disqualified as MLAs of Haryana Vidhan Sabha on the grounds of indulging in anti-party activities. The JJP was a coalition partner of the BJP-led government till mid-March. The Vidhan Sabha official spokesperson said that after seeking opinion from the Advocate General of Haryana, Speaker has decided to hear the JJPs petition. The Speaker has also issued instructions to both the accused MLAs and the leader of the JJP Legislative Party to present their case before him. They will have to present their case within 4 weeks, the spokesperson added. 14 roads closed across Himachal due to heavy rain; Alert issued till July 26 Shimla: A total of 14 roads are closed for vehicular traffic in Himachal Pradesh due to rains, and the local Met office has issued a yellow alert till July 26. So far, 44 people have died in rain-related incidents, and the state has suffered losses of about Rs 333 crore in the ongoing monsoon season since June 27 till date, as per the state emergency operation centre. A maximum of 11 roads are closed in Mandi district, two in Kinnaur and one in Kangra and 31 transformers have been disrupted, the centre said. The National Highway-5 reopened for traffic early Monday after remaining blocked for four hours due to a landslide at Nigulsari in Kinnaur district, officials said. Low to moderate flash flood risk is likely in isolated parts of Kangra, Mandi and Chamba districts in the next 24 hours, the MeT said. It also cautioned of damage to plantation and standing crops, vulnerable structures and kutcha houses due to strong winds and waterlogging in low-lying areas. The local Met Office has issued a yellow alert of heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning till July 26. | Uttar Pradesh has reported a drop in cane crushing in 2023-24, indicating a more diversion of sugarcane to local jaggery units. As per the data from the Sugarcane department, cane crushing fell to 981.68 lakh tonnes in the recently concluded crushing season. This is the lowest cane crushing recorded in the past seven years, despite the state government hiking the state advisory price (SAP) by Rs 20 per quintal earlier this year and operating a maximum of 121 mills. The cane supplied to sugar mills decreased despite the increase in area under cane cultivation during the last season 2023-24. According to the figures from the Sugarcane department, the total sugarcane cultivation area in Uttar Pradesh for the 2023-24 season was 29.66 lakh hectares, 9.12 lakh hectares more than the sugarcane cultivation area as compared to previous years. In 2017-18, 1,111.9 lakh tonnes of cane were crushed, despite ever-increasing cane production. In 2023-24, cane production in the state reached an all-time high of 2,494.20 lakh tonnes, a 4 per cent increase from 2022-23, when 2,394.62 lakh tonnes of cane was produced. Cane productivity also rose from 79.19 tonnes per hectare in 2017-18 to 84.1 tonnes per hectare in 2023-24. Additionally, cane acreage increased from 22.99 lakh hectares in 2017-18 to 29.66 lakh hectares in 2023-24. Officials are closely monitoring the situation amid state government plans to open new mills and increase the cane-crushing capacities of existing ones. Data further shows that sugar production in the state declined last season. It fell slightly from 104.82 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 to 104.13 lakh tonnes in 2023-24. Industry experts from UP believe that more sugarcane has been diverted to jaggery units. Along with cane crushing and sugar production, the production of ethanol also fell marginally as the Union government banned the diversion of sugar and cane juice for the production of ethanol. The Union government on December 7 had directed all sugar mills and distilleries not to use sugarcane juice for ethanol production. The government, in a notification, directed all sugar mills and distilleries not to use sugar cane juice/sugar syrup for ethanol in ESY (Ethanol Supply Year) 2023-24 with immediate effect. Supply of ethanol for existing offers received by oil marketing companies from B-Heavy molasses will continue. The ESY runs from December to October. According to experts, the step has been taken to ensure there is an adequate supply of sugar in the local market. UP is the countrys biggest ethanol producer. A sugar by-product, ethanol is used for a variety of purposes, ranging from mixing in fossil fuel to its usage in pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The state has about 85 operational ethanol distilleries, and their annual capacity is estimated at 2.45 billion litres. During the last season, the distilleries in UP had supplied over two billion litres of ethanol. Ethanol produced in the state is exported to oil marketing company depots, both within and outside the state, for the Centre has mandated 10 per cent blending in fuel. The current ethanol production capacity in India is 1,364 crore litres and it is sufficient to meet the fuel blending targets. The roadmap for ethanol blending in India 2020-25, is estimated to be 1,016 crore litres to achieve 20 per cent blending targets in ESY 2025-26. In line with the roadmap, oil marketing companies have achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending during 2021-22 and 12 per cent during 2022-23. The initiative of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to organize the Regional Industry Conclave in various areas of the state has opened new doors of industrial revolution in the state. His new mantra of industrial progress has given new energy to the regional entrepreneurs. Yadav has taken an important and timely initiative to encourage small and medium-scale (MSME) entrepreneurs. Consequently, with the Regional Industry Conclave held in Jabalpur on July 20, investors have given investment proposals worth about Rs 22 thousand crore for setting up large units as well as MSME units. This investment will generate a large number of jobs. Proposals worth about Rs 22 thousand crores received, more proposals likely to come Investment proposals worth Rs 17 thousand crore have been received for setting up large units in the state and investment proposals worth Rs 5 thousand crore have been received from MSME units. In this way, a total of investment proposals worth Rs 22 thousand crore were received from small and big industries in the Regional Industry Conclave of Jabalpur. More proposals are likely to come this month For this, the process of communication with leading industrialists is in progress. The biggest investment proposal in Jabalpur REC is Rs 600 crore related to defense equipment manufacturing. Under this, an agreement has also been signed between Ashok Leyland and Armored Vehicle Corporation Limited. This proposal is an important achievement for Madhya Pradesh. Initiatives for the development of industries at the regional level Yadav has taken concrete initiatives for the development of industries at the regional level. For this, the use of a new mantra has been started effectively. After the regional conclave held in Ujjain last March, the conclave held in Jabalpur, a major city and industrial center of the Mahakaushal region, was important in many ways. While the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of 67 new industrial units in the state was completed during the conclave, 340 acres of land were allotted to 265 industrial units. The new units will employ more than 16 thousand 500 people in the state. New investments of Rs 3330 crore are coming from 332 units. After Malwa and Mahakaushal, other areas to be tapped The Chief Minister had given instructions to organize REC in all the areas of the state. There is a plan to organize a Regional Industry Conclave in other big cities of the state in the coming months. These include Sagar, Rewa, and Gwalior. This will help in encouraging local entrepreneurs to invest in the Bundelkhand, Vindhya, and Chambal regions. Entrepreneurs operating small and medium-scale units in various sectors will move forward to take advantage of the facilities provided by the government. Efforts initiated especially to encourage agriculture, food processing, minerals, defense production, tourism, and textile industries will establish new dimensions of success. One-to-one meetings providing prompt solutions to problems Regional Industry Conclaves being held in the state are becoming the basis for the development of industries due to multidimensional activities. While these conclaves prove to be important platforms through buyer-seller meets, one-to-one meetings between Yadav and leading industrialists will prove to be a milestone for the establishment of large industrial units. One-to-one meetings help in the quick resolution of difficulties or any obstacle that arises in providing necessary facilities to the industries. The role of the MSME sector is becoming increasingly important in strengthening the economy of the state. 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Bhagat said that demand for Sarna religious code is a very sensitive and tribal identity issue. Crores of tribals live in India. Tribals who are worshippers of nature are not counted by the government. On one hand, the government counts wild animals, birds, noises but does not count the religious identity of the tribals. I appeal that Sarna religion code should be marked in the census column to protect the religious identity of the tribals and their identity, said Bhagat. In 2020, the Jharkhand assembly had passed a resolution demanding the Sarna dharma code to be included in the census and submitted it to the Centre via the state governor. The Centre is yet to take a call on the contentious issue. Soren leads a JMM-Congress-RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) coalition government in the state. In 2023, Soren had also written letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking recognition of Sarna religious code for tribals. In the three-page letter, Soren had stressed that the population of tribals in the State has declined from 38%to 26% in the last eight decades. He also said that decline in the population would have an adverse effect on the policies of tribal development under the Fifth and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. This is not the first time that Bhagat has raided the demand for Sarna religious code, Sukhdev Bhagat of Congress, who was elected as MP from Lohardaga parliamentary seat, had even taken oath as member of parliament in a unique way on the first day of the Parliament session. Sukhdev Bhagat took oath of office and secrecy by taking the name of Sarna instead of saying Ishwar. It is worth mentioning that Sukhdev Bhagat had promised in the elections that he would raise his voice in the House on the first day of the Parliament session itself for the demand of Sarna Dharma Code. It is worth mentioning that on the first day of the Parliament session, Sukhdev Bhagat reached the Parliament House with a placard demanding Sarna Dharma Code. He also staged a dharna with the placard and said that the government should implement it immediately. The tribal community wants the central government to give them a column to indicate their religion in various documents, in which Sarna Dharma is mentioned. It is worth noting that during the election campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also promised in Basia of Gumla that if the All India Alliance government is formed, then Sarna Dharma Code will be implemented on the very first day. Extramarks School Leaders Conclave organized a workshop that brought together teachers and experts to discuss how to enhance STEM education in prestigious schools of Bhopal. Poonam Singh Jamwal, Director, Extramarks Education, highlighted the significant contribution of Madhya Pradesh in STEM and emphasized the importance of digital literacy and personalized learning. Panel discussions focused on integrating blended learning, fostering creativity, and leveraging technology to transform classrooms. About 30 schools of Madhya Pradesh along with Billabong High International School, IES Group of Schools, Satpura Valley Group, Vatsalya Vidyalaya participated in this program.Key insights include preserving the joy of learning through diverse student mindset, celebrating the engineering heritage of Madhya Pradesh and advocating conceptual learning rather than rote memorization. Experts stressed the need for collaboration between schools, parents and students to promote critical thinking and reduce over-emphasis on academic marks. The conclave concluded with a call for integrated efforts to ensure the advancement of every student in the digital age. Guru Purnima is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across Madhya Pradesh, with the initiative of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Following his instructions, gurus and teachers in schools and colleges were honored, and students sought their blessings. Teachers highlighted the significance of Guru Purnima and the traditional guru-shishya relationship. Schools organized essay competitions on the impact of the ancient Gurukul system on Indian culture. Additionally, students were informed about the state's decision to replace the title 'Vice-Chancellor' with 'Kul Guru' in universities. Guru plays an important role in shaping the future School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh emphasized that the Guru holds the highest place in society, as religious texts affirm that the Guru is crucial for imparting knowledge of the true path and divine power. He noted that the state government is consistently working to improve conditions for teachers in the education sector. To ensure quality education for state children, PM and CM Rise Schools are being established across Madhya Pradesh. Minister Singh made these remarks during the Guru Purnima Utsav at Rukmani Devi Public School, located on the highway in Narsinghpur district. The School Education Minister said that every citizen must impart good values ??to the children. When children receive education in schools with these values, they will be able to discharge their duties as responsible citizens in the future. He said that due to Gurus efforts many talents of the country and the state are performing remarkably in all fields. Behind every successful person, the education given by his teacher is priceless. The School Education Minister also interacted directly with teachers, parents and students. The School Education Minister on Saturday participated in the Guru Purnima celebrations of PM School in Gadarwada in the district, Rawatpura International School in Pankhedi in Narmadapuram district, and Sainik School run by Bhau Saheb Bhuskate Smriti Lok Nyas. The School Education Minister also inspected the classrooms and science labs of these schools. He said that the state government will provide all possible resources to improve the quality of education in schools. During the function, there was a question-and-answer session students also asked questions of public interest to the School Education Minister and he was answered. Higher Education, Technical Education and AYUSH Minister Inder Singh Parmar said in the Guru Purnima festival organised at Government JNS College, Shujalpur, Shajapur district that our aim is to make India the leader on the world stage by learning from the old and moving ahead towards the new through education. For this, radical changes are being implemented by restoring the Indian knowledge tradition in education. Parmar said that the world is proud of India's knowledge. The country that neglects its own knowledge will inevitably lose its identity. Higher Education Minister Parmar said that the viewpoint of Indian society is a science-based viewpoint. There is a need to study and research on India's knowledge tradition again. Parmar said that since Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented the National Education Policy - 2020 in the Indian perspective, a sense of pride has been awakened on India's achievements and remarkable works across the country. By restoring our language, our knowledge, our heritage, we will be re-established as Vishwaguru on the world stage. Parmar said that it is our broad approach to bring about changes according to the times. The concept of "particle" was the concept of Indian sage Kanad Rishi. After that, atom and molecules developed in the modern era. India gave "zero" to the world, and then calculation of numbers became possible in the world. India's great inventor Aryabhatta proved that "the earth rotates on its axis" as per the facts. This is the achievement of our Indian knowledge, which is worth following all over the world. Staff Reporter n Bhopal Guru Purnima is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across Madhya Pradesh, with the initiative of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Following his instructions, gurus and teachers in schools and colleges were honored, and students sought their blessings. Teachers highlighted the significance of Guru Purnima and the traditional guru-shishya relationship. Schools organized essay competitions on the impact of the ancient Gurukul system on Indian culture. Additionally, students were informed about the state's decision to replace the title 'Vice-Chancellor' with 'Kul Guru' in universities. Guru plays an important role in shaping the future School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh emphasized that the Guru holds the highest place in society, as religious texts affirm that the Guru is crucial for imparting knowledge of the true path and divine power. He noted that the state government is consistently working to improve conditions for teachers in the education sector. To ensure quality education for state children, PM and CM Rise Schools are being established across Madhya Pradesh. Minister Singh made these remarks during the Guru Purnima Utsav at Rukmani Devi Public School, located on the highway in Narsinghpur district. The School Education Minister said that every citizen must impart good values ??to the children. When children receive education in schools with these values, they will be able to discharge their duties as responsible citizens in the future. He said that due to Gurus efforts many talents of the country and the state are performing remarkably in all fields. Behind every successful person, the education given by his teacher is priceless. The School Education Minister also interacted directly with teachers, parents and students. The School Education Minister on Saturday participated in the Guru Purnima celebrations of PM School in Gadarwada in the district, Rawatpura International School in Pankhedi in Narmadapuram district, and Sainik School run by Bhau Saheb Bhuskate Smriti Lok Nyas. The School Education Minister also inspected the classrooms and science labs of these schools. He said that the state government will provide all possible resources to improve the quality of education in schools. During the function, there was a question-and-answer session students also asked questions of public interest to the School Education Minister and he was answered. Higher Education, Technical Education and AYUSH Minister Inder Singh Parmar said in the Guru Purnima festival organised at Government JNS College, Shujalpur, Shajapur district that our aim is to make India the leader on the world stage by learning from the old and moving ahead towards the new through education. For this, radical changes are being implemented by restoring the Indian knowledge tradition in education. Parmar said that the world is proud of India's knowledge. The country that neglects its own knowledge will inevitably lose its identity. Higher Education Minister Parmar said that the viewpoint of Indian society is a science-based viewpoint. There is a need to study and research on India's knowledge tradition again. Parmar said that since Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented the National Education Policy - 2020 in the Indian perspective, a sense of pride has been awakened on India's achievements and remarkable works across the country. By restoring our language, our knowledge, our heritage, we will be re-established as Vishwaguru on the world stage. Parmar said that it is our broad approach to bring about changes according to the times. The concept of "particle" was the concept of Indian sage Kanad Rishi. After that, atom and molecules developed in the modern era. India gave "zero" to the world, and then calculation of numbers became possible in the world. India's great inventor Aryabhatta proved that "the earth rotates on its axis" as per the facts. This is the achievement of our Indian knowledge, which is worth following all over the world. Following the directives of District Magistrate cum Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal, a District Level Library Committee meeting was convened in the Collectorate Auditorium. The meeting, chaired by the Deputy Development Commissioner, focused on the promotion and enhancement of libraries in 32 government schools across East Singhbhum district through the state plan. The initiative targets several key educational institutions, including the CM School of Excellence, Block Level Adarsh Vidyalaya, Kasturba Gandhi Girls Residential School, and Model Schools. During the meeting, a district-level committee discussed and finalized the selection of books to be procured with the funds allocated for the financial year 2023-24. Committee members, comprising the District Education Officer, District Education Superintendent, principals from two CM Schools of Excellence, the Principal of Navodaya Vidyalaya, two students, and a President Award-winning teacher, prepared a comprehensive list of books to be supplied to the schools. The selected titles are intended to enrich the libraries and provide better learning resources for students. Once the selection process is complete, work orders will be issued to the respective suppliers and publishers at the district level. Payments will be managed at the state level to ensure a streamlined procurement process. The meeting highlighted the district's commitment to improving educational resources and fostering a culture of reading and learning among students in government schools. This initiative is expected to significantly enhance the quality of education and provide students with access to a broader range of learning materials. The Economic Survey 2023 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman at Parliament today highlights innovative efforts of Madhya Pradesh in the social-economic sector. In the Economic Survey, Indore's biofuel plant, with a perday production capacity of 500 tons under the Swachh Bharat Mission, was mentioned as a case study. It was established by the Indore Municipal Corporation in 2021. This plant operates on a model of public-private partnership on, Design- Construction-Financing- Operation mode. The plant produces approximately 44 to 45 thousand cubic meters of bio-gas perday, resulting in around 17 thousand kg of bio-CNG per day. This plant has significantly contributed to preventing the annual emission of one lakh thirty thousand tons of carbon dioxide. The processing capacity of the Indore bio-CNG plant is 400 metric tons per day, which facilitates the processing of organic waste, yielding 14.8 metric tons of bio-CNG and 80 metric tons of fermented organic manure per-day. Under the River Linking Project, the Ken-Betwa Link Project and the modified Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Project have been mentioned. The Ken-Betwa Link Project is the first project approved under the National Perspective Plan in 2021. For this, the central government has provided Rs. 39,317 crore. Madhya Pradesh will undertake this project in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh and the central government. Referring to the Sustainable Development Goals India Index 2023-24 of NITI Aayog, the Economic Survey records that Madhya Pradesh is among the ten states making a rapid progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Between 2018 and 2023-24, Madhya Pradesh has scored 15 points. The Survey also mentions Madhya Pradesh's Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana under the farmer-friendly policy framework. Madhya Pradesh has fulfilled all six parameters to enhance teaching-learning outcomes. Transmission line maintenance personnel of MP Transco ,taking a huge risk, achieved an amazing maintenance work in the loaded live 33 K.V. system. On July 20, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and other very important persons along with leading industrialists from India and abroad had visited Jabalpur to participate in the Regional Industry Conclave. A major fault occurred at 132 KV substation Vinova Bhave of MP Transco (Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company), who supply electricity for this important event due to rain on the eve of the event. Its repair work would normally be possible only during day time and total shutdown (by shutting down the supply), but considering the importance of time and event, M.P. Transco Managing Director Er. Sunil Tiwari directed to get it done with hot line maintenance technique without any shutdown while the supply is still running so that no adverse message is sent to the investors from India and abroad. From 11 pm to the work of replacing the damaged 33 KV insulator connected to the main charged (currently loaded) 33 KV bus ,started, which continued till about 3 am in the morning. These are rare occasions when such repairing work is carried out in darkness and rain. Normally hotline maintenance work is done at 132 KV or above voltage but this was the first time, considering the urgency of the occasion, it was done at 33 kv voltage level. There was only an area of one foot all around to work Work had to be done at a place with minimum clearance inside the live yard. There was a current of 33 thousand voltage on the lines and equipment at a distance of about 1 foot around the narrow work place where there was no margin of error, but under the guidance and presence of Chief Engineer Praveen Gargava, Sandeep Gaikwad, addl Chief Engineer SV Vaze, AK Lathi, Executive Engineer APS Chauhan, Jitendra Tiwari, NS Patel, Chetan Yadav, RS Bais, Rajeev Chauhan with MP Transcon's maintenance team including Kamlesh Ranjan, Dnyaneshwar Barkade, Holkar Singh, Jagdish Thakur, Kamlesh Maravi, Ravindra Sahu, Rajendra Kushwaha, Ayub Khan, Anil Soni, Vishal Kori displayed unmatched technical skills and indomitable courage in this extremely risky situation,Line maintenance work was successfully carried out. Due to which the Invest Conference and other VIPs did not face any inconvenience due to the electricity system. As part of promoting computer skill training among young and specially challenged, NTPC Coal Mining Headquarters, Ranchi under its CSR initiative in association with Swayamsiddha Ladies Club distributed two no.s of desktop computers to St Michael Blind school, residential school for specially challenged children with visual impairment. On this occasion, Smt Rekha Jain,President ,NTPC Swayamsiddha Ladies handed over the desktop computers to Principal, Smt. Sarita Talal,Principal in the presence of committee members of the ladies club. Later the desktop computers were installed at the computer lab of the school. School Children after receiving the new set of computers equipped with the latest version of software and voice command facilities to facilitate working in computers for the visually impaired was appreciated and students shared that it would help in learning the computer skills in a fast and effective way which is essential in the present times. Smt Jain during visit to the school computer lab and interacting with the students shared that the computers would help the students to empower them with computer skills and make them independent to grow professionally and not make them dependent on others due to their physical limitations. She wished them all the best for the future. Members of Swayamsiddha Ladies Cub interacted & spent some quality time with the Visually Challenged Children of the school, the initiative of the Ladies club was appreciated by school management.On this occasion, Vice President, Smt Shikha Rastogi , Senior Member Smt Poonam Jain, General Secretary Smt Deepak Kesari .Joint Secretary General Secretary .Smt Parameshwari,Treasurer Smt Snigdha Majhi, Cultural secretary ,Smt Anita Prasad ,Welfare Secretary,Smt Mansa Verma & Smt Vaishali were also present. To reshape its economic landscape, the Punjab Government on Monday submitted a comprehensive roadmap to the 16th Finance Commission, seeking to limit subsidies until 2031 and requesting substantial financial support to achieve this goal. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has outlined an ambitious plan to reduce electricity subsidies through solarization, a project that necessitates significant investment. To this end, Mann has called for a special package amounting to Rs 1,32,247 crore to foster the state's holistic development. The Chief Minister presented the memorandum to the Commissions chairman Dr Arvind Panagariya and members, emphasizing Punjab's pivotal role in making India self-sufficient in food production and its historical contributions to the nation's independence. Mann highlighted the pressing need for a special economic package, asserting that such support would catalyze Punjab's economic growth and bolster its infrastructure. Currently, Punjab spends approximately Rs 21,000 crore on subsidies for free and affordable electricity to farmers, industrialists, among others a sum comparable to the state's GST revenue. The proposed solarization initiative aimed at alleviating this financial burden, enhancing the reliability of the state's power infrastructure in the long run. However, implementing this initiative will require substantial funding from the Central Government. In addition, the Chief Minister has requested Rs 75,000 crore for development projects, Rs 17,950 crore for agriculture and paddy diversification, Rs 5,025 crore to combat stubble burning, and Rs 8,846 crore to address narco-terrorism and drug abuse. Furthermore, Mann has sought Rs 6,000 crore for industrial revitalization, Rs 9,426 crore for urban local bodies, and Rs 10,000 crore for rural local bodies. Punjab's unique challenges, particularly as a border state facing narco-terrorism and hostile border activity, were also brought to the Commission's attention. Mann underscored the necessity of modernizing the state police force, which plays a crucial role in maintaining national security. Additionally, the Chief Minister highlighted the innovative Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF), which has already saved over 1,000 lives since its inception in February 2024. Addressing the state's agricultural crisis, Mann stressed the urgent need for crop diversification to conserve groundwater, which is rapidly depleting. The Finance Commission's recent approval of a proposal to incentivize crop diversification by providing Rs 17,500 per hectare to farmers marks a significant step towards breaking the two-crop cycle and promoting sustainable farming practices, he added. Mann noted that the Punjab Agricultural University, renowned for pioneering the Green Revolution in India, is now spearheading efforts to promote crop diversification under the leadership of world-acclaimed tissue culture experts. The states farmers have historically contributed immensely to India's food security by over-exploiting Punjab's fertile soil and water resources. However, this has led to almost all blocks of the state falling into the black zone in terms of groundwater levels. Mann expressed deep concern over this issue, comparing the high-powered motors used for extracting groundwater in Punjab to those used for oil extraction in Dubai and other Gulf nations. He emphasized the need to shift towards using canal water for irrigation, which has increased from 30 to 70 percent under the current government, thereby conserving groundwater and reducing the burden on the state exchequer. Punjab's industrial sector is also poised for growth, with major companies like Tata Steel showing interest in investing in the state. However, the tax holidays offered by other states pose a challenge to Punjab's industrial expansion. To counter this, the state government has introduced innovative measures such as color-coded stamp papers to facilitate business operations and attract entrepreneurs. Punjab is the first state to introduce green-colored stamp papers to ease the process for entrepreneurs setting up their units, marking a revolutionary step towards industrial growth. In his appeal to the Finance Commission, Chief Minister Mann emphasized the importance of recognizing Punjab's unique challenges and extending the necessary support to overcome them. He asserted that with the Commission's guidance and financial assistance, Punjab can revitalize its economy, achieve sustainable development, and restore its former glory. Mann also highlighted the state's commitment to transparent governance and efficient resource mobilization. In the last two years, the state's own tax revenue has seen impressive growth, surpassing national growth rates. GST revenue has increased by 33 percent, and excise revenue has risen by more than 50 percent, thanks to robust administration and honest governance. The State Government is also reviewing various expenditure items and rationalizing unproductive expenditure to improve financial stability. The Chief Minister pointed out that many of Punjab's problems are legacy issues resulting from ill-advised political decisions by previous governments, such as the Rs 30,584 crore CCL Loan taken in March 2017 and substantial untargeted subsidies given right before elections in 2021. These actions have had long-lasting repercussions on the state's economy. Despite these inherited challenges, the current government is making concerted efforts to achieve financial consolidation and create a vibrant, prosperous Rangla Punjab, he said. Mann concluded by reaffirming Punjab's resilience and determination to rise above adversity, expressing confidence that with the Commission's support, the state will continue its journey towards prosperity and economic stability. He reiterated the state government's commitment to restoring Punjab's pristine glory and emphasized that no stone will be left unturned in this noble cause. Punjab demands Rs 1,32,247-cr special package for holistic development Funds for Solarization to reduce electricity subsidies Development Funds worth Rs 75,000 cr Rs 17,950-cr for agriculture and paddy diversification Rs 5,025-cr for Stubble Burning Rs 8,846-cr for Narco-Terrorism and Drug Abuse Rs 6,000-cr for Industrial Revitalization Rs 9,426-cr for Urban Local Bodies Rs 10,000-cr for Rural Local Bodies Modernization of the State Police Force to combat narco-terrorism and hostile border activity Tax Structure Reforms due to revenue losses after GST implementation Revenue Deficit Grant to compensate for investment losses as a border state Support for Crop Diversification to promote sustainable agriculture and conserve groundwater Funding for Canal Water Usage to reduce reliance on groundwater for irrigation Support for Industrial Growth and countering challenges posed by tax holidays in other states Stating that government jobs are now being given without kharchi-parchi, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday said that 50,000 new recruitments would be done soon in the state. Additionally, the State Government has taken several steps to benefit the poor, he added. The Chief Minister made these remarks as the chief guest at an event in Karnal. Criticizing the opposition, Saini said that the Congress party had only promised to provide 100-square yard plots to the poor but failed to deliver the plot papers and possession. In contrast, the current government has so far given possession and papers for plots to 20,000 individuals, and those who have left will also be given plots. He also said that the government has decided to waive the electricity surcharge for connections up to 2 kilowatts. Consumers will only pay for the units consumed, meaning that if they are out of town for a month, their bill will be zero. Additionally, the government will install 2-kilowatt solar panels on the roofs of houses belonging to consumers with an annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh. The cost of this installation, amounting to Rs 1 lakh, will be covered 60 percent by the Central Government and 40 percent by the Haryana Government. Any surplus electricity generated by these solar panels will be purchased by the Power Corporation. He said that the state government has provided free travel up to 1,000 km per year in state transport buses for 84 lakh people from 23 lakh families with an annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh by issuing them HAPPY cards. Under the Mukhya Mantri Shehri Awas Yojna, 30-square-yard plots are being allocated to the poor in cities, with 15,000 people already receiving plots in 14 cities. He also highlighted that the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat-Chirayu Yojana are reaching the people and that the government is covering the entire cost of education for daughters from families with an income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh. Saini also criticized the Congress for spreading misinformation. He said that during their tenure, there were shortages of electricity and long queues for gas cylinders. In contrast, the current government ensures 24-hour electricity and easy availability of LPG cylinders. Taking a dig at the opposition, the Chief Minister stated that those with questionable records are the ones demanding account from others. He remarked that both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are trying to deceive the public, criticizing each other while also collaborating. He recalled how a Congress leader had warned that if Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, the Constitution would be endangered. However, he pointed out that Modi has governed the country in accordance with the Constitution for the past 10 years, while the Congress forgets the Constitution when in power. Sanctions Rs 900 crore for construction of Chaupals in rural areas In another event, addressing the gathering in village Ratangarh, Sindhuria Palace in Karnal, Saini said that the Government has allocated Rs 900 crore for the construction of Chaupals for all sections in the rural areas of the State. This amount will soon be transferred to the accounts of the Gram Panchayats. He said that the government has significantly developed rural areas over the past 10 years, ensuring that village residents now have access to basic facilities comparable to those in cities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions rapid development across the country and the state, ensuring that no village is left behind in this progress. | In its ongoing pursuit to improve road connectivity across Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government is not only developing an extensive network of expressways, but also building several link expressways to connect two or more long distance expressways in order to reduce distance as well as travel time between smaller districts. At present, apart from Ballia Link Expressway (131 km), Chitrakoot Link Expressway (15.20 km), Agra Lucknow Expressway to Purvanchal Expressway Link Expressway (61.60 km), Ganga Expressway to Agra Expressway via Farrukhabad Link Expressway (93 km), Yamuna Expressway to Ganga Expressway via Bulandshahr Link Expressway (84 km) are either under construction, or are proposed. Alongside these link expressways, solar parks, electric vehicle charging stations and public convenience centres will also be developed. The Ballia Link Expressway will connect Ghazipur to Ballia, with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) allocating Rs 1,600 crore for its construction. The Chitrakoot Link Expressway, linking the Bundelkhand Expressway to Ahmedganj, will start as a 4-lane road, with plans to expand it to six lanes in the future. Additionally, the link expressway connecting the Agra-Lucknow Expressway to the Purvanchal Expressway will initially be six-lane wide, with plans to expand it to eight lanes. The construction of this 61.60 km stretch will cost approximately Rs 4,500 crore. Similarly, the link expressway via Farrukhabad between the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and the under-construction Ganga Expressway will initially be a 6-lane road, with plans to expand it to eight lanes later. The estimated cost for this 93-km link expressway is Rs 6,500 crore. Furthermore, the Bundelkhand Link Expressway, connecting the under-construction Ganga Expressway to Jewar airport, will also span 84 km, with a construction cost of Rs 6,000 crore. A 45-year-old woman, who was the only bread earner of her family, was killed and 23 other passengers were injured when a DTC electric bus rammed into a metro pillar in west Delhi on Monday morning. According to the police, a PCR call was received at 7.42 am at the Punjabi Bagh police station regarding a bus accident near Shivaji Park Metro Station on Rohtak Road. DCP West Vichitra Veer said, The concerned agencies promptly responded to the call. Upon arrival, it was found that a DTC electric bus, bearing number DL 51 EV 2862, plying on Route 939 between Mangolpuri and Anand Vihar, had collided with Metro Pillar 146. He added that due to sudden braking, an auto-rickshaw, numbered DL 1RS 4417, also collided with the bus from behind. The accident has left a total of 24 passengers, including the driver and conductor, reportedly injured. About 14 passengers were shifted to Maharaja Aggarsen Hospital, while 10 passengers were taken to Acharya Bhikshu Hospital in Moti Nagar. Unfortunately, one female passenger, aged approximately 45 years, was declared brought dead at Aggarsen Hospital. Another injured passenger, aged about 55 years, is currently in the ICU at Aggarsen Hospital, the DCP added. Further, an FIR under sections 281 (negligent driving) and 125A (endangering the life of others) and section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered in the matter at the Punjabi Bagh police station. PCR Van and emergency response vehicles had reached the spot within short time, for assistance and evacuation. A crime team was called to the spot for inspection. The reason for the accident will be established based on the crime team's report and mechanical inspection of the vehicle," DCP Veer said. A DTC official, however, claimed that "the bus was running in its designated lane". "A motorcyclist and an auto rickshaw driver suddenly made a right turn. To avoid an accident, the bus driver (of the DTC electric bus) also took a right turn but it ultimately hit the metro pillar," the official said. A senior police officer said that the statements of the bus driver and conductor have been recorded. "We are also recording the statements of passengers for more clarity on how the accident took place, the officer said. The police teams will also check the footage of the CCTV inside the bus and nearby area to know about the sequence of events. A senior officer stated, The bus driver, in his statement, claimed that he lost control over the vehicle when all of sudden a motorcycle and an auto rickshaw ahead of the bus took a sharp right turn. The driver told police that he tried to stop the vehicle to avoid any collusion. A senior police officer said that teams have been formed to investigate the entire matter and efforts are on to get more details about the passengers. So far we know that the woman who died in the accident was the sole bread-earner of her family. Her family members are in deep shock," the officer said. The police will also probe if the bus driver was over speeding or if there was any technical fault in the vehicle due to which it rammed with a metro pillar, the officer said. Ahead of the start of Parliament's Budget session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said people have given their verdict in the Lok Sabha polls and now all political parties must fight together for the country for the next five years. A day before the presentation of the Union Budget, Prime Minister Modi said the Budget will set the direction for the journey of the next five years and lay the foundation for fulfilling the dream of 'Viksit Bharat' in 2047. Speaking with the media before the start of the session, Modi also slammed the "negative politics" of some parties and said they used Parliament's time to hide their failures. PM Modi also hit out at opposition parties for "trying to scuttle his voice" in Parliament in the last session, and said such a tactic has no place in democracy. Modi said his government is moving forward to implement on the ground the guarantees he has given to the people. "This is the Budget session. The guarantees that I have been giving, we are moving forward to implement those guarantees on the ground," he said. "This Budget is an important Budget of the Amrit Kaal. The opportunity of five years that we have, this budget will decide the direction of that journey as well as lay the foundation for fulfilling the dream of Viksit Bharat in 2047," Modi said. He also said the Budget session is an important destination in our democracy's proud journey. A government has come back to power for the third term after 60 years, he said. In a stunning decision, embattled US President Joe Biden on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing from the race to be the next president in 2024 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's new nominee. Biden's decision to nominate Harris, who is of both Indian and African origin, follows weeks of intense pressure from fellow Democrats after his disastrous presidential debate performance against his Republican rival and former US president Donald Trump last month. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this, Biden said in a post on X. In a phone call with CNN minutes after Biden announced his exit from the race, Trump described Biden as the worst president by far in the history of our country. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson urged President Biden to resign from office shortly after the president announced he would not seek reelection. If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough, Johnson, a prominent Republican, said in a statement posted on X. But Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said President Biden did the right thing by endorsing Harris after dropping out of the race. Harris has been serving as the US Vice President since 2021, when she became America's first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president. He picked her as his running mate. He got a chance to see how smart, how tough, how good she is, Richmond said about the 59-year-old vice president. The campaign will need to figure out in the coming days how exactly to proceed, but Richmond said it will work to support Harris. Earlier, Biden announced that he has decided not to contest the presidential election. My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it's been the best decision I've made, Biden said. The 81-year-old president's decision comes four months before Americans go to the polls on November 5. It has been the greatest honour 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 to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term, Biden, said in a message to fellow Americans in a six-paragraph open letter posted on social media. Such a decision from Biden comes amid a visible deterioration in his health. The president is currently in self-isolation at his Delaware residence after he tested positive with COVID-19. Biden said he will speak to the nation later this week in more detail about his decision. For now let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me, Biden said. In his one-page letter, Biden said over the past three and a half years, we have made great progress as a nation. Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We have made historic investments in rebuilding our nation in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. He noted that his administration has provided critically needed care to millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances. His administration also passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. He also noted that his administration passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today, he said. I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We've protected and preserved our Democracy. And we've revitalised and strengthened our alliance around the world, Biden said. In a letter posted to his social media account, Biden, currently isolating at his home in Delaware because of COVID, said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as 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 to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as President for the remainder of my term". Biden said in his statement he would address the nation on the matter next week. President Biden thanked his Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she was an "extraordinary partner". Biden, however, did not explicitly did not endorse Harris, his running mate. It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President, he wrote. The government on Monday cited an inter-ministerial group report prepared in 2012 to assert that a case for granting special category status to Bihar is not made out; a stand which came a day after BJP's allies from Bihar demanded the status for the backward state. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on the first day of the Monsoon session, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said special category status was granted in the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some states which were characterised by a number of features necessitating special consideration. These included hilly and difficult terrain, low population density or sizeable share of tribal population, strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries, economic and infrastructural backwardness and non-viable nature of state finances, he said in reply to a question asked by JD(U) member Rampreet Mandal. The decision was taken based on an integrated consideration of all the factors listed above and the peculiar situation of a state, the minister said. "Earlier, the request of Bihar for Special Category Status was considered by an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) which submitted its Report on 30th March 2012. The IMG came to the finding that based on existing NDC criteria, the case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out," the minister said. The Congress-led UPA was in power at the time. JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha had voiced his party's demand for the status at an all-party meeting on Sunday. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), also a BJP ally, and the opposition RJD echoed the same demand at the meeting. The JD(U), though, has already conveyed to the Centre that it is willing to settle for a special financial package in case the status cannot be granted to the state. The BJD and the YSR Congress had made the same demand for Odisha and Andhra Pradesh respectively in the meeting. The government has in the past also argued that the 14th Finance Commission report has ruled out the possibility of any more states being granted the status, which includes tax relief and higher central funding for the beneficiary states. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said on Monday that his government would organise village-level camps to enrol women in the financial assistance scheme, under which Rs 1,000 would be given per month. Soren made the announcement while addressing a government function at Rajmahal in Sahibganj district, where he unveiled projects worth around Rs 88 crore. "The government has decided to give financial assistance to all women aged 21-49. For this, camps will be organised for enrollment in the next four to five days at the village level. I would urge all to help women to fill their forms so that we can empower them and make them self-reliant," he said. The state Cabinet had on June 28 approved the financial assistance scheme, which would benefit 45 lakh women of the state. Under the scheme, named 'Mukhya Mantri Bahan Beti Maiqui Swabalamban Protsahan Yojana', each woman will receive Rs 1,000 per month. It will cost the state Rs 5,500 crore annually, officials said. Meanwhile, the CM expressed concern over the tardy development of the Rajmahal area. He said that during his 14-month government in 2013-14, he had laid the foundation of a mega-lift water supply project but it did not take off. "Despite the hard work we do for you, we have to face a lot of hurdles to reach you the benefits directly," he said. Soren said Rajmahal was not only struggling for basic infrastructure but people were suffering due to erosion in Ganga. He said the government would soon address the problems of the area, including those related to land registry, land mutation, roads, bridges and culverts. "The government will also make efforts for an airstrip in Rajmahal so that it could be connected to other parts of the country. Rajmahal has been a centre of trade and it can be revived again," he said. Soren also said that a bridge would be built over the Ganga, connecting Rajmahal to Manikchak in West Bengal's Malda. From the function, the CM inaugurated a 132/33KV grid substation in Barhait in Sahibganj district. He said his government was not only improving power supply but also gave a "big gift" to the poor in the form of free electricity up to 200 units. "Complaints are coming from many places regarding electricity meters and bills. This will also be resolved," he said. Soren said recruitment in the police would be done soon. "Lakhs of applications have been received for excise constable recruitment, the process would start soon," he said. Heavy rains continued to lash Mumbai on the second consecutive day on Monday, with some areas receiving up to 34 mm of rainfall in just one hour in the morning, affecting local train services during the rush hour between Kalyan and Thakurli stations of the Central Railway network. In the last 24 hours ended at 8 am, the island city recorded an average of 135 mm of rainfall, eastern Mumbai 154 mm, and western Mumbai 137 mm, officials said. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Mumbai to tackle any situation amid the forecast of a high tide and heavy rains in the city and its suburbs. In its forecast for the next 24 hours starting at 8 AM on Monday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted "heavy to very heavy rain in the city and suburbs, with the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places." According to the civic body, a high tide of 4.59 meters is expected at 12.59 PM. Malabar and Mulund Hill recorded 34 mm of rainfall between 6 am and 7 am, followed by Bhandup with 29 mm, Wadala East with 24 mm, and Versova with 20 mm. Western Railway stated that local train services were running normally on Monday morning, however, commuters claimed trains were running late by 5 to 10 minutes. Central Railway also stated that local services on all four corridors were normal. Commuters, however, said train traffic was affected between Kalyan and Thakurli stations in the morning rush hour due to a signal problem. "Many commuters are walking on the tracks as trains are halted for a long time," a passenger said. A civic official said buses of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) were not diverted. A day earlier, heavy downpours pounded Mumbai and suburbs, inundating roads in many areas, diverting flights, and briefly affecting local train traffic between Dadar and Matunga stations. The Mithi River, which originates in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and meets the Arabian Sea at Mahim, swelled due to continuous rainfall in Mumbai since Sunday. It was flowing at 1.5 meters on Monday morning, but its flood level reached 2.26 meters Sunday night. In other parts of Maharashtra, Konkan and Vidarbha regions have been receiving heavy rainfall since the weekend, causing rivers to swell and low-lying areas to submerge. As a result, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in Mumbai and other parts of the state. "We have deployed NDRF teams at Vasai (Palghar district), Thane, Ghatkopar and Powai (in Mumbai), Mahad (Raigad), Khed and Chiplun (Ratnagiri), Kudal (Sindhudurg), Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara due to the monsoon season as pre-positioning, apart from three teams in Mumbai and one team in Nagpur as regular deployment," an NDRF official said. He said teams are on alert for any emergent response at their locations, conducting reconnaissance in low-lying and landslide-prone areas. International sailing regatta kicks off in NE China's Dalian Xinhua) 10:12, July 22, 2024 An aerial drone photo taken on June 17, 2024 shows the Laohutan scenic area in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yang Qing) DALIAN, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The first Navy Cup International Sailing Regatta, which is being hosted by the Chinese Navy, kicked off Sunday in the coastal city of Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. Military attaches from 35 foreign countries stationed in China attended the opening ceremony. A total of 16 sailing teams from naval academies and schools representing China and eight other countries including Brazil, Chile, Iran and Russia will compete during the four-day event. Themed "confidence, openness, cooperation and mutual benefit," the regatta aims to build a platform for naval exchanges that integrates training, competition, interaction and exhibition. A series of activities, including a reception and visits to military venues, will also be organized to promote exchanges and cooperation. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Gurugram Police on alert ahead of Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh The Gurugram Police has beefed up security with heavy deployment of police personnel for Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra planned on Monday. Six people, including two home guards and a cleric of a Gurugram mosque, were killed after violence erupted during the Jalabhishek Yatra last year. Vikas Arora, Commissioner of Gurugram Police, said huge forces have been deployed along the procession tour to avoid any untoward incident and keep an eye on anti-social elements. Meanwhile, around 2,500 personnel from police and paramilitary have been deployed in Nuh this year, a day before the Yatra, police said. The internet service in the district will remain suspended from 6 p.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday, according to an order by Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Anurag Rastogi. The suspension came "to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours" through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, etc. On Sunday, a flag march was taken out in Gurugram in the presence of senior police officers of the Gurugram Police and necessary directions were given to force ahead of Yatra. Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chairman of All India Imam Organization, visited the Nalhar Mahadev Temple in Nuh in the evening to appeal for peace. The Yatra will start from Nuh's Nalhar temple and end in Singar passing through Jhir temple. The police have kept a close watch over Nuh city, Nalhareshwar temple, Aravalli Mountains, Badkali Chowk, Jhirkeshwar temple, Shringeshwar temple (Singar), and the concluding points of the Yatra, Gurugram-Nuh border, Sohna Road. Dog squads, and soldiers of paramilitary forces including CRPF, RAF and many other companies have been deployed. The Nuh Police has also issued a special advisory for drivers of heavy vehicles. Liquor shops will remain closed till the procession is completed in Nuh. According to the advisory, heavy vehicles en route to Sohna/Gurugram from Alwar will have to take the Mumbai Expressway from Ambedkar Chowk in Firozpur Jhirka via KMP expressway. "Heavy vehicles are prohibited from entering Nuh district during the Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra. Heavy vehicle drivers coming to Nuh from different places should bring their vehicles to Nuh only after the completion of the Yatra," the advisory read. 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 US President Joe Biden US President Joe Biden on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing from the White House, saying "while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down". Biden, 81, endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to take over the ticket vacated by him, saying, "Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala Harris to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats -- it's time to come together and beat Trump." The Democratic Party will need to nominate Harris formally at the convention in August, making her the first African-American woman and the first Indian-American to win the nomination of a major political party for the White House. Harris's path from here to nomination is not automatic. It's not clear if she will have to face off rivals and how that process will unfold. Whether it will be settled based on the delegates won by the Biden-Harris ticket or voting at an open convention where the delegates will be free to consider and pick a rival candidate. Others who could seek the nomination include Governors Gavin Newsom of California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Roy Cooper of North Carolina and Senator Mark Kelly, and entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban. Biden became the first incumbent President in 56 years to give up a chance to run again. It could not be immediately ascertained if he had also become the first US President to withdraw his re-election bid after winning the primaries and before the official coronation as the nominee at the party's national convention. President Biden, who has been self-isolating at his home in Delaware with a Covid-19 infection, had been under mounting pressure to step aside and make way for a different candidate for the party, following a disastrous performance in the first presidential debate against his Republican rival, former President Trump. "Over the past three-and-a-half years, we have made great progress as a Nation," he wrote in a letter addressed to "fellow Americans". "Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We've made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We've provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years." "Appointed the first African-American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today." "I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once-in-a-century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We've protected and preserved our Democracy. And we've revitalised and strengthened our alliances around the world." "It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term." "I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision." "For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice-President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me." Biden had merely thanked Harris for her cooperation in the first statement Biden had issued about his exit. He endorsed her fully in a subsequent statement. "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice-President. And it's been the best decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats -- it's time to come together and beat Trump. Let's do this." Leave No Trace Ireland is asking members of the community in County Derry to join in a community clean up at Benone Beach , Derry ( situated 12 miles north of Limavady on the A2 coast road) on Friday 26th July as part of a weekend of events culminating in Love This Place Day on Sunday 28th July. The Benone Beach clean up takes place on Friday between 10:00 am - 1:00 pm and will be led by Leave No Trace Trainers. You can take part by signing up at https://www.leavenotraceireland.org/training-events-page/ Leave No Trace CEO , Maura Kiely said the Benone clean-up is just one of a number of activities to mark Love This Place Day by encouraging people to take a simple action that helps protect the natural environment and shows care and respect for outdoor spaces. Speaking ahead of National Love This Place Day, Leave No Trace Ireland CEO, Maura Kiely said: We want National Love This Place Day to become established in the calendar as an annual call out to inspire individuals, communities and organisation to take simple actions to actively respect and protect our wonderful outdoor spaces and natural environment. This weekend, culminating in Love This Place Day on Sunday, is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to show their enthusiasm and support for a movement for positive change in how we care for, and protect, the natural world and our outdoor public spaces. There are several ways that Leave No Trace Ireland and its campaign partners are encouraging people to celebrate Love This Place Day this Sunday (28th July) including. Plan a 2-minute clean-up with friends, family, colleagues, or solo. Plan a 2-minute clean-up with friends, family, colleagues, or solo. Volunteer with a local community or eco group, such as Tidy Towns. Volunteer with a local community or eco group, such as Tidy Towns. Join a nature walk or hike to appreciate and learn about the natural environment. Join a nature walk or hike to appreciate and learn about the natural environment. Take the Love This Place Promise on the Leave No Trace website. Take the Promise on the Leave No Trace website. The Love This Place Promise can be found via this link https://www.leavenotraceireland.org/love-this-place-leave-no-trace/ We are asking the public to share their activities on the day. Take a photo or video of your action for Love This Place Day, tag Leave No Trace Ireland and use the #LoveThisPlaceDay We are also inviting members of the public to enter a competition. All they have to do is via Instagram stories to take a photo or video of their action for Love This Place Day, tag Leave No Trace Ireland and use the #LoveThisPlaceDay. The competition, with a prize of a 150 gift voucher for the Great Outdoors, will close on Sunday 28th July at midnight. A winner will be chosen from the entries. Author, outdoor enthusiast and founder of the Hike Life, Roz Purcell, is again supporting National Love This Place Day with a special Hike Life event on Friday 26th from 11am to 2pm. To join Roz please go to @thehikelife on Instagram to sign up for this event. National Leave No Trace Day is part of the 2024 Love This Place National Awareness Campaign which promotes responsible enjoyment of Irelands rich natural heritage of outdoor spaces and environment. Bottom of Form Leave No Trace is joined in marking National Love This Place Day 2024 by its core partners, including Failte Ireland, Sport Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Department of Rural and Community Development, Dublin City Council, the Office of Public Works, Coillte, and Waterways Ireland. The campaign is also supported by Fingal County Council, Galway County Council, Wicklow County Council. For further information and guidance on responsible outdoor engagement, visit https://www.leavenotraceireland.org/love-this-place-leave-no-trace. 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. Maxol has launched a fundraising campaign inviting the public to turn scents into pence to raise funds for the Guide Dogs NI. With each guide dog costing over 50,000 during its training and working lifetime, Maxols PAWsome Fresheners will raise funds through the sale of puppy shaped car air fresheners. Maxol Group CEO, Brian Donaldson says his appreciation for the life-changing impact of guide dogs deepened after meeting with a guide dog user. He recognised that these highly trained and intuitive dogs provide not only confidence but also independence to individuals. We wanted to create something unique to catch our customers attention and also inform them on the journey a puppy takes to become a guide dog, said Brian Donaldson. With this new initiative, were encouraging customers to purchase either a golden or a black Labrador car air freshener, or both, with all proceeds going directly to Guide Dogs NI. PAWsome car air freshers are priced at 3. Follow the journey from puppy to Guide Dog The limited edition PAWsome Fresheners are designed not only to keep a vehicle smelling fresh but more importantly, to make a positive impact on the lives of those who are visually impaired. It takes two years to train a guide or assistance dog and people can learn more about each phase of a puppys training journey by scanning a QR code on the PAWsome Fresheners. Maxol, which is Northern Irelands leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer has committed to funding the training of at least six guide and assistance dogs across the island of Ireland over the next two years and wants to continue to raise awareness and drive support for Guide Dogs NI. These highly trained and intuitive dogs provide not only confidence but also safety and social benefits to individuals. Ive seen firsthand the incredible support they offer, said Brian Donaldson. Guide Dogs NI currently have around ninety Guide Dogs in-service and eight buddy dogs across Northern Ireland with a further three dogs in training and 15 puppies about to begin their training journey. Many people affected by a vision impairment face isolation and challenges in everyday activities, such as shopping, working, and socialising. Guide dogs provide a vital lifeline, offering safety, mobility, and independence. Buddy dogs Another important part of Guide Dog NIs work is providing buddy dogs to children living with visual impairment to help boost their confidence, improve relationships, and build a greater sense of trust. Kyla McVicar, Business Development Manager, Guide Dogs NI said: Our team at Guide Dogs Northern Ireland are so excited to be working with Maxol on their PAWsome Freshener fundraiser. Every penny raised will help adults, children and young people living with vision impairment in NI. We rely on the generosity of the local public and business community to provide our services. Without this fundraising our life-changing work simply wouldnt be possible. We would like to say a massive heartfelt thank you to Maxol and all their amazing staff, retailers and customers for supporting Guide Dogs. Your donations will help us ensure that anyone with sight loss in Northern Ireland can live a full, active, and independent life. Maxol plans to leverage its network of 252 service stations across the island of Ireland, rallying community support to raise much-needed funds. The goal is to make a difference in the lives of those served by Guide Dogs NI in Northern Ireland and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind in Ireland. Available in local Maxol stores from the beginning of July, all proceeds from the PAWsome Fresheners will go to Guide Dogs NI in NI and in ROI, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Maxol Service Stations across Derry where the PAWsome fresheners will be available include: Maxol Rossdowney, 1 Rossdowney Park, Waterside, Derry BT47 5NR 1 Rossdowney Park, Waterside, Derry BT47 5NR Maxol Maghermason, 138 Victoria Road, Derry BT472RR 138 Victoria Road, Derry BT472RR Maxol Service Station Eglinton, Coolafinny Road, Eglinton, Derry BT473PG Coolafinny Road, Eglinton, Derry BT473PG Maxol Derrychrier, Dungiven, 772 Feeny Road, Derry BT474TB 772 Feeny Road, Derry BT474TB Maguires Maxol Service Sation, 170 Mussenden Road, Derry BT514TX 170 Mussenden Road, Derry BT514TX Connors Maxol Service Station, 141 Main Street, Derry BT515AB 141 Main Street, Derry BT515AB McAuleys Maxol Service Station, 14 The Square, Derry BT457AE 14 The Square, Derry BT457AE Castlerock Road Maxol Service Station, Unit 2, 1-11 Castlerock Road, Derry BT513HP Unit 2, 1-11 Castlerock Road, Derry BT513HP Newmills Road, Maxol Service Station, Newmills Road Lower, Derry BT522JB Knocklynn Maxol Service Station, Knocklynn Road, Derry BT521WT Kilrea Maxol Service Station, 26 Garvagh Road, Derry BT515QP For more information visit www.maxol.ie and https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/guide-dogs-northern-ireland/ South Korea eyes 6G hotspots as telecoms urge caution The South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) is pushing to lead the global race in 6G commercialization by 2029, following its pioneering efforts with LTE and 5G. However, telecom operators, drawing from their 5G experiences, are advocating for a more measured approach, proposing a hotspot-focused strategy for 6G rollout. According to The Elec, MSIT established the "6G Society" in July 2024, uniting over 30 experts from the mobile and satellite communications sectors. Their mission is to dominate 6G standards and expedite its market readiness. MSIT aims to achieve 6G commercialization by 2029, leveraging South Korea's 2019 success in launching 5G ahead of the world. The government views 6G as a pivotal issue and is keen to accelerate the construction of a nationwide commercial network. However, leading telecom operators SK Telecom (SKT), Korea Telecom (KT), and LG U+ are skeptical about replicating their nationwide network experience with 6G. South Korea's telecom market is already saturated, with more subscriptions than the population, making further revenue generation through traditional means challenging. Industry experts suggest that while a segment of users might pay premium ARPU for 6G services, widespread upgrades akin to 3G, LTE, and 5G transitions are unlikely. The 5G rollout faced criticism and legal challenges due to issues with communication quality, coverage, and application areas, prompting a need for a new approach. Telecom operators support the development of 6G but caution against immediate nationwide implementation. Instead, they recommend a strategic pivot. For instance, Verizon's initial 5G rollout in the US focused on hotspots before expanding coverage with low-band spectrum. A similar approach for 6G could drastically reduce initial investment costs and mitigate early service quality complaints. A representative from the mobile communications industry emphasized that while 6G promises increased ARPU, quality issues akin to those seen with 5G could adversely impact businesses. Given South Korea's saturated telecom market, initial 6G commercialization should be carefully planned around public hotspots, ensuring a balance between innovation and market practicality. Taiwan to unveil new policies to mitigate talent shortfall with AI and foreign workers The Economic Development Council under Taiwan's Executive Yuan held its first meeting on July 18, addressing three key policy themes: the trillion-dollar National Development Investment Plan, transforming Taiwan into an Asian asset management hub, and boosting national talent competitiveness. A second meeting is scheduled for September to outline the latest policy directions for the semiconductor, AI, defense, security, and compound semiconductor industries. Insurance investment in public infrastructure Officials noted that Taiwan's insurance industry can legally allocate up to 10% of project and public investment funds, totaling around NT$ 3.27 trillion (US$ 104.64 billion), but currently, only NT$ 609.2 billion has been invested. Given the high hedging costs of NT$ 360.2 billion for overseas investments, the government aims to provide low-risk domestic investment options to attract life insurance funds. This strategy would mitigate exchange rate risks and ease fiscal pressure. Potential public infrastructure investments include water pipelines, parking facilities, electrolysis plants, wastewater treatment facilities, and social housing. In the long-term care sector, legal issues are being addressed with assistance from the National Development Council (NDC). Currently, Taiwan's life insurance industry holds approximately NT$ 22 trillion in overseas investments. Asian asset management hub The establishment of Taiwan as an Asian asset management hub has been in development for years. The government has finally outlined its action plans, which include expanding private banking and wealth management services, attracting multinational corporations to list in Taiwan, increasing real estate investment trust (REIT) products, and introducing foreign asset management companies. This effort follows Hong Kong's declining status as a financial center due to political factors, with Singapore gaining significant influence in Asian asset management. Talent shortfall solution: AI and foreign workers The third policy theme addresses the promotion of national talent competitiveness. Taiwan's labor supply in 2024 is expected to be 12.35 million, nearly matching the demand of 12.39 million. However, from 2025, labor demand is projected to rise rapidly, reaching 12.9 million by 2030, while the country can only supply around 12.42 million workers. The Executive Yuan aims to mitigate this gap by advancing AI in industries to reduce labor demand and attract key foreign and expatriate workers to Taiwan. By 2028, the Executive Yuan aims to train 200,000 local AI and digital talents, leveraging AI to reduce labor demands and enhance worker productivity. Additionally, the plan seeks to attract 100,000 international students to Taiwan and recruit 120,000 foreign professionals and 80,000 foreign technical workers. Officials emphasize that this initiative will not threaten local employment or exacerbate low-wage issues. The three arms of Economic Development Council The Executive Yuan also unveiled the structure of the newly founded Economic Development Council, comprising three groups: The Innovation Economy Group, led by Wu Cheng-wen, Minister of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will focus on strengthening Taiwan's role in the democratic supply chain, developing the Five Trusted Industry sectors, nurturing local talent, industrializing AI, and achieving digital and net-zero transformations. The Balanced Taiwan Group, led by Paul Liu, Minister of the NDC, will develop a smart technology industry ecosystem, including the Keelung River Valley Golden Corridor, the Greater Silicon Valley in Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli, central technology clusters, and the southern semiconductor industry S corridor. The group will assess essential resources like land, water, and electricity, and invest in necessary policies. The Inclusive Growth Group, led by Kung Ming-hsin, Secretary-General of the Executive Yuan, will focus on the diverse revitalization and development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), upgrading traditional industries and services, promoting diverse youth development and wage increases, and expanding social investments in education, dual employment, and dual care. China dominates global automobile exports in 2023 as EV demand surges, says DIGITIMES Research China's automobile exports have shown significant growth in recent years, with the export volume reaching 5.22 million units in 2023, nearly 800,000 more than Japan's, making China the world's largest automobile exporter. According to DIGITIMES Research's latest report covering China's automobile exports, China's automobile export shows several obvious characteristics such as rapidly rising volume and value, electric vehicles becoming mainstream models, and diversifying export markets. In the past, Japan was a major automobile-exporting country until China overtook it in 2023, when China's automobile exports reached 5.22 million units, surpassing Japan by nearly 800,000 units. Historical data shows that China's automobile exports broke the one million mark in 2018 and began gaining momentum until after 2021, with the export volume for 2023 being 4.5 times higher than that of 2018, the report's figures showed. The rapid growth was attributed to the saturation of the Chinese automobile market and changes in the structure of export vehicles and regions. These changes also led to the rise of the average export price of Chinese automobiles to CNY137,000 (US$19,180) in 2023. Electric vehicles (EVs) have become the main growth driver of China's automobile exports. Their export volume increased from 147,000 units in 2018 to 1.77 million units in 2023, a 12.1-fold increase in six years, far exceeding the 4.5-fold increase in total automobile exports. The proportion of EVs relative to total automobile exports has also increased yearly, reaching 34% in 2023. This indicates the competitiveness and growth potential of China-made EVs in overseas markets. Furthermore, DIGITIMES Research has observed differences in demand for various types of automobiles in the top ten export outlets of Chinese automobiles in 2023. For example, the top two export destinations, Russia and Mexico, primarily demanded fuel vehicles, whereas Europe and Southeast Asia preferred EVs. Notably, Europe's mature EV market attracted Chinese companies to enhance their presence there, and in Southeast Asia, Chinese companies held an approximately 80% share in the EV market in Thailand in 2023. These regions have become important destinations for Chinese EV exports. 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. Global IT outage hits Microsoft cloud, automotive industry faces disruptions Microsoft faced a significant disruption in its cloud services on July 19, leading to temporary system outages in major organizations around the world. In a statement, the company attributed the incident to a software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which affected 8.5 million Windows devices, representing less than 1% of the total. Microsoft announced it will collaborate with other cloud service providers, including Google Cloud and AWS, to share insights and explore effective solutions. Did the outage cripple the automotive supply chain? According to a report by Business Insider on July 19, the global IT system outage forced Tesla to halt production lines in Texas and Nevada. An internal email obtained by Reuters indicated that Tesla informed employees on the morning of the 19th that the company's "Windows servers, laptops, and manufacturing equipment are currently down, with users seeing blue screens on their devices." Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addressed the issue on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, "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 with technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online." Elon Musk responded to Nadella's post, noting that the outage "gave a seizure to the automotive supply chain". According to the Wall Street Journal, auto parts supplier Magna International, which produces various products from automotive electronic systems to car bodies, reported experiencing operational disruptions due to the service outage. A company spokesperson stated that Magna is working with customers and suppliers to minimize the impact. Toyota Motor Company indicated that some dealerships experienced issues, but its North American manufacturing plants and headquarters were unaffected, partly due to routine summer shutdowns. A Nissan Motor spokesperson said the company's systems were not impacted, but some suppliers and dealers were affected, although specifics were not provided. Ford Motor Company stated it is assessing the impact on its business. Other automakers and dealerships told the WSJ that the CrowdStrike incident had limited or no impact on their operations. Securing the IT ecosystem Steps taken in response to the incident include ongoing collaboration with CrowdStrike to develop automated solutions, deploying hundreds of Microsoft engineers and experts to assist customers in restoring system services, partnering with other cloud service providers like Google Cloud and AWS to share observations and communication information, and quickly releasing relevant documentation and guidance. Microsoft emphasized that while software updates can occasionally cause unforeseen issues, an event as significant as the recent CrowdStrike incident is exceedingly rare. Preliminary estimates suggest that the CrowdStrike update affected 8.5 million Windows devices, less than 1% of all Windows devices. Despite the small percentage of Windows devices with CrowdStrike installed in the grand scheme of the total, the incident had widespread economic and social impacts. The incident highlighted many businesses' reliance on CrowdStrike for critical services. Microsoft underscored the importance of focusing on the ecosystem's influence, noting that the incident demonstrated the tight interconnectivity within its broad ecosystem, including global cloud service providers, software platforms, cybersecurity firms, software vendors, and customers. The current situation also serves as a reminder of the importance of robust security measures and disaster recovery planning for every member of this technological ecosystem. China-based startup Byinka to ship 7th-gen IGBT to customers China-based power semiconductor provider Byinka has announced the shipment of its 7th-generation Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) to leading companies across industries such as electric vehicles (EV), photovoltaics (PV), and energy storage. This development marks a significant step in closing China's technology gap with Japanese and European companies in IGBT technologies. In an interview with Jiwei, Byinka CEO He Lin revealed that their 7th-generation IGBT has been trialed and introduced in small batches, with excellent feedback. Some performance metrics reportedly outperform international top brands, and the company's products have now entered the large-scale delivery stage. The 7th-generation IGBT developed by Byinka boasts higher power density, a simpler drive circuit, and a wider safe operating area (SOA). It can be manufactured using a 50nm node process, representing a significant technological advancement. Byinka is taking a calculated approach to entering the automotive IGBT market. While recognizing the importance of achieving automotive-grade qualification for their 7th-generation IGBT technology, they are strategically focusing on solidifying their presence in the industrial control and photovoltaics sectors first. This approach allows them to refine their technology and build a strong reputation before tackling the demanding automotive market. Market dynamics and future outlook Lin noted that while oversupply is driving fierce competition in the mid-to-low-end IGBT segment, demand for high-performance devices is surging. According to Jiwei, the growth rate of the IGBT market in the energy storage sector is expected to outpace the automotive industry in the coming years, reaching a market share of 9.7% by 2025. Notably, China stands as the world's dominant IGBT market, consuming over 40% of global demand, with this share expected to rise further. Founded in 2022, Byinka successfully developed its in-house 7th-generation IGBT using 300mm wafers in July 2023. The company has since launched a full range of 7th-generation IGBT products, spanning from 1000V to 1700V. According to DIGITIMES Research, while global leaders Infineon and Fuji Electric developed their 7th-generation IGBT in 2018, most China-based companies' IGBT technology remains at the 5th or 6th generation level, lagging by at least five years. However, the vast domestic market is expected to strongly support the revenue growth of Chinese companies. Other China-based semiconductor companies have also made strides in developing 7th-generation IGBTs in recent years. StarPower Semiconductor unveiled its product in 2022, and MACMIC launched its 7th-generation IGBT in 2023, both utilizing 300mm wafers. Grassy hills cover the landscape west of Highway 12 in Rio Vista, which is close to where California Forever plans to build a new city. The ballot initiative for this project, set to appear in November before voters, was scrapped Monday. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle The proponents of a ballot initiative that would allow a new city of 400,000 residents to be built in east Solano County have decided to withdraw the measure and instead prepare a full environmental report on the impact the project would have on everything from the traffic to water to the countys budget. In a statement, Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn said the decision, which will delay a vote on the new city for two years, came after conversations with California Forever CEO Jan Sramek. We have agreed that they will withdraw their measure and not proceed with the election in November, Mashburn said in a statement. I think it signals Jan Srameks understanding that while the need for more affordable housing and good paying jobs has merit, the timing has been unrealistic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement, Sramek said he had originally sought a November approval at the ballot box because he wanted to show that its possible to move faster in California. But we recognize now that its possible to reorder these steps without impacting our ambitious timeline, he said. This creates opportunities to incorporate additional community input, and then provide everyone with access to objective analysis, and the full terms of the Development Agreement, including the community benefits. He added: We believe that with this process, we can build a shared vision that passes with a decisive majority and creates broad consensus for the future. The ballot measure will now go before voters in 2026. Under Solano Countys Orderly Growth Initiative, voters must approve any urban development that takes place outside the countys seven municipalities. The decision comes two days after a consultant for the county released a scathing assessment of the ballot measure, saying that the plan for the new city was so vague and had so few concrete details that voters lacked the information needed to make an informed decision. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The fact that the Initiative will be presented to the voters without benefit of an EIR, or objectively prepared planning and engineering studies expected for a new community proposal of this magnitude, is a significant issue that warrants further public consideration as the Initiative is discussed and debated during the months leading up to the November vote, the report stated. The report estimated that transportation improvement costs of the projects first phase would be $3.7 billion to $2.2 billion outside the city and $1.5 billion within, with the full buildout amounting to around $17.6 billion. It said the schools needed to serve the city would cost $743 million in phase one and that the parks would cost $165 million, while public safety stations would run $72 million in phase one and water treatment plans another $354.6 million. The Initiative lacks a clear and detailed financial strategy to support the extensive infrastructure and service upgrades required, the report states. Voters should consider the implications of the significant investment required for transportation, schools, parks, public safety, and water systems. The Initiatives promises of infrastructure upgrades lack specifics, raising doubts about their feasibility. Solano Together, a coalition of groups opposed to the new city, celebrated the decision. The people have spoken and California Forever has been forced to withdraw their hastily drawn, poorly designed initiative, given a surefire loss in November, the group said in a statement. Solano Together is proud of the people of Solano County for this amazing win. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An April poll commissioned by Solano Together found that 70% of voters were opposed to the new city. U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, a project critic who represents part of Solano County, praised the decision to delay the ballot measure, calling it a crucial step toward ensuring that any development in our community is sustainable, transparent, and beneficial for all residents. From the beginning, I have maintained that the proposed project was only a pipe dream, not a true plan, he said. Rushing the process without thorough environmental and community review would have been disastrous for the existing residents of Solano County. Free rides from Fishermans Wharf to the Ferry Building were offered over the weekend on Sea Change, the worlds first hydrogen-powered ferry. Jonah Reenders/Special to the Chronicle Cookie Huss and Ed Simon boarded the 10:30 Sunday morning ferry at Fishermans Wharf and went straight to the back of the cabin, nearest the water fountain. They wanted to drink the cool, pure exhaust from the worlds first hydrogen cell commercial passenger ferry. It tastes very good, said Huss, who had to drink fast because it was only a 15-minute ride to San Franciscos ferry terminal, on an existing route called the Pier 41 Short Hop. Huss and Simon had come all the way from Roseville, east of Sacramento, for the novelty. They said it was free, and I thought, Thats a good reason to get out of the heat, said Huss, who planned to make a round trip of it and drink freely in both directions of the water that is treated after its emission as exhaust from the fuel cell that powers Sea Change to 10 knots. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Luke Caven prepares to drink water produced as a byproduct of the hydrogen-powered ferry on San Francisco Bay. Jonah Reenders/Special to the Chronicle If I grow a third eye, she said after sipping from her plastic cup, Ill know the reason why. Sea Change is a 70-foot catamaran that can hold 75 passengers, though it was averaging about half that on each of four round trips it made between the Ferry Building and Pier 41 on its opening weekend. The boat, which began free test runs Friday, is at the vanguard of a ferry fleet that is required to go emission free for any route less than 3 miles by 2026. Battery electric technology offers hope, but lacks capacity for longer routes such as the 25 miles from San Francisco to Vallejo due to the weight of the batteries. Hydrogen is an option because the fuel system is lighter. Though hydrogen cell-powered ferries are operating in Europe, they require diesel to operate, according to James Romero, chief engineer of Switch Maritime, which built Sea Change with support from a grant from the California Air Resources Board. Sea Change, the worlds first hydrogen-powered ferry, began free test runs on San Francisco Bay over the weekend. Jonah Reenders/Special to the Chronicle This is purely conceptual, to see how it works, said Romero, noting that there is neither diesel nor any other fossil fuel on board. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The fuel cells are in black tanks at the front of the boat, out of view of passengers. The only emission is water vapor, which condenses back to liquid water. It is then fed through a re-mineralization process that makes the water taste normal straight from the tap. It solves two problems at once, said passenger Ed Simon. Fuel and water. Drinkable water is produced as a byproduct of the hydrogen-powered ferry. Jonah Reenders/Special to the Chronicle Drinkable water is produced as a byproduct of the hydrogen-powered ferry. Jonah Reenders/Special to the Chronicle The concept took a while to get here. The boat started as the Water-Go-Round, with a keel laying ceremony Alameda in 2018. COVID-19 slowed shipbuilding, then Water-Go-Round switched ownership and was towed to Bellingham, Wash., where it was built by All American Marine. Renamed Sea Change, it was towed back to the bay in 2023 and christened on July 12 by San Francisco Bay Ferry, which runs East Bay commute routes and tests new technologies, with the goal of decarbonizing two-thirds of the San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet of 17 vessels by 2035. Sea Change is being operated on a six-month free trial by pilots of the Blue & Gold Fleet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were showcasing the future, Capt. Tom Harlan said. You could build a container ship with this technology. The first run Sunday was light, five passengers on board. But 16 others were waiting on the ramp for the return run. As Sea Change pulled into the dock, Harlan got on the intercom to make his spiel. Passengers board the Sea Change, which can hold 75 people. Jonah Reenders/Special to the Chronicle We are fast approaching our destination at the Ferry Building, he said. Have a fabulous hydrogen-powered rest of your day. Among those waiting to do so were Daphna Zipkin of Millbrae and her granddaughter Talia Zipkin, 17, visiting from Los Angeles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were riding on history, Daphna said as they boarded for the short ride. Sea Change did not disappoint, as they disembarked 15 minutes later. The Philippines is known for the best white sandy beaches in the world along with diverse local cuisine. But thats not it about the place; the countrys beauty scene has been upping its game for quite some time now and because of the number of pageants that take place every year, it is quite obvious that Filipinos know their way around make-up. The best part of their products is they are super affordable and of high quality. Since Filipinos range from fair to darker skin tones, the brands cater to different shades. So, if you want to know the best makeup brands in the Philippines, scroll down and explore them- Sunnies Face Sunnies Face is one of the most renowned brands of the Philippines. They love everything about beauty and thus make the best products that make you look good. All of their products are animal-cruelty-free, paraben free, and most importantly available in the most flattering colors. Sunnies Face is basically the result of not finding the required product and the search for affordable brands. BLK Cosmetics BLK cosmetics stand for the color black- something that is timeless, uncomplicated, and elegant. They aim to stand out by going back to basics. The brand is one of the few which has official cruelty-free certification from PETA. The brand focuses to keep things simple yet make the best quality products. The items range from foundations, mascaras, lipsticks, eyeliners, and more. Careline The brand caters to youth with a guarantee of 100% cruelty-free cosmetics. The brand provides trendier and high-quality cosmetics at an affordable price specially made for the new generation. Presently Careline cosmetics are available nationwide and cater to products like eye shadow palettes, make-up brushes, and more. Vice Cosmetics Vice Cosmetics was founded by the Philippiness famous TV host Vice Ganda with the motive of giving people the best chemical-free products. The products are paraben-free, vegan, and cater to all skin types and gender. They make the finest products that are accessible to all. The products include Lipsticks, Water Gel, Brow Gel, and more. Happy Skin Cosmetics Happy Skin Cosmetics is known for its creative and Instagram-worthy packaging and the products are specifically made in the worlds beauty capitals: Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. So, with this, you can expect the quality and product variety of the brand easily. Here you will get the make-up you love and the skincare you deserve. The products include Lipsticks, Glosses, Powder, Primer, Foundation, Concealer and many more. Another way to save on your cosmetics shopping is to visit Saleduck Philippines. They feature daily promotions and discount codes for brands like a galleon, rosegal, and many more These brands prove that Filipino beauty industry is on the rise these days. People are buying products from these brands making them more famous. The above-mentioned brands can be purchased at Zalora, also click here to get the coupon code and avail of mind-boggling discounts. All of the above-mentioned brands are very particular about using any kind of chemicals that can be harmful to your skin. Most of them have already reached the worldwide market and the others will also touch that boundary in no time. You can also visit polskie kasyno bonus bez depozytu OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is seen at Davos in January. A study of universal basic income funded by OpenAI found mixed health and employment outcomes after handing out tens of thousands of dollars to each participant over three years. Markus Schreiber/Associated Press San Francisco software company OpenAI spent the last three years quietly helping fund a program that handed out up to $1,000 a month to low-income Americans, one of the largest studies ever conducted on the impact of universal basic income. Some AI researchers and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have for nearly a decade worried that artificial intelligence technology they are developing could one day be good enough to make many knowledge workers, even coders, obsolete raising the question of how people would support themselves. To better understand the ramifications of continuing its work, OpenAI funded an academic study that gave monthly cash to 3,000 people in Texas and Illinois whose households earned an average of $30,000 per year in 2019. The study period ran from November 2020 through October 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One group of 1,000 people received $1,000 per month, while the control group of 2,000 people received $50 per month. No conditions were placed on how to use the cash. Recipients of the larger amount were more likely to look for new work, and the study suggested the new source of income meant participants were able to be more selective about the jobs they applied for. Researchers found that the participants who got the most money said the income they earned from other sources fell by about $1,500 a year. They also worked slightly less each week and spent more time on leisure activities. That is in contrast to previous studies that found doling out cash had little effect on labor market participation while improving health and educational outcomes, especially among young people. One closely watched experiment run by the city of Stockton previously gave 125 randomly selected low-income people $500 per month for five years. That smaller study found employment increased among participants, along with improved metrics around health and wellbeing. Researchers in the OpenAI-funded study found that overall, our results suggest a moderate labor supply effect that does not appear offset by other productive activities. In other words, participants worked a little less and in some cases spent time finding the right job, but did not go about doing things like starting businesses of their own. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The study also looked at health data, including blood samples taken from some participants. Researchers said they found essentially no evidence of improvements in physical health due to the transfers and again can rule out even small improvements. Dozens of guaranteed basic income experiments have been conducted across the country, many in California, according to the Stanford Basic Income Lab. This study, with its larger sample size, was run by OpenResearch, a nonprofit that while not a part of OpenAI, came out of the startup accelerator Y Combinator when Altman was its president. OpenResearch has since received more than $20 million from Altman and OpenAIs nonprofit arm. Private donors including Sid Sijbrandij, the co-founder and CEO of GitLab, and retired basketball star and recently hired Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick also funded the study. Some aspects were also funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, according to OpenResearch. Altman is not the only techie to float the idea of a universal basic income brought on by their innovations, with the idea predating the current AI boom. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2017, Tesla CEO Elon Musk told the World Government Summit in Dubai, I think ultimately we will have to have some kind of universal basic income, I dont think we are going to have a choice. Musk, an early OpenAI funder, has launched an AI company of his own called xAI. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, whose company makes the Llama family of AI bots, praised the idea in a commencement speech at his alma mater in 2017. Some AI researchers have suggested a pause to continued development of the increasingly capable technology, warning of its profound risks to society and humanity. A personal care products company making an impact in the beauty and skincare industry in the Philippines re-introduced its celebrity endorser at an event in the south of Manila (today or recently). Sooper Beautestarted up by a mother of four who got tired of the 9-to-5 corporate grindre-introduced Kapamilya actress Sofia Andres as its endorser at the companys media launch of its Breakthrough and Bloom campaign at the Azumi Boutique Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Sofia has come of age and embraced motherhood at its fullest, said Sooper Beaute founder and General Manager Jessica Aica Palma. With a blossoming career, rapidly-rising followers, and a growing business on the side, theres no doubt that she is a woman of limitless beauty! The young actress was the first muse of Sooper Beaute in 2016 when she was only 16. We found it easy to decide to make her our muse once again as we transition to the New Sooper Beaute because Sofia has grown into a versatile woman. Aside from being an actress, shes a mother, a painter and a fashion inspiration, said Palma. According to a Philippine business news website, The company started up with seed capital of 18,000 pesos (USD360) in September 2013. The young founder (27 at the time) checked out Facebook and Instagram, discovered that a lot of online sellers offering whitening lotions and soaps, and they were doing very welland straightaway contacted these sellers and asked them if she could buy from them and rebrand the products. Sooper Beautes initial offerings were lotions, toners and soaps sourced from an online seller in Laguna. Palma photographed the products herself, printed out stickers, created an Instagram account to sell the products, and began using the tagline Beauty is Limitless and in two months, the startup recorded 100 percent profit. Thats when the founder knew she was doing it right. Palma explained that as an eight-year-old brand, Sooper Beautes management decided to transition its branding from bright and youthful to minimalist yet chictargeting young professionals who grew up with the brand. This new branding initiative was conceptualized during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic where everyone experienced major changes in their lives. Now that weve learned to live with these new changes, weve discovered new interests, new talents and a new mindset, said the thirty-something mompreneur. My kapwa Filipinas, weve had a breakthrough. Now were ready to be the best version of ourselves. We bloom. If I had met Jack Tobin a few years ago, I would have met a very different person. Back then, he was hollow-eyed, anxious, nervous, and full of angst, because he was addicted to drugs from the age of 13. I was on my knees during 10 years of hell, says Jack, 25, now a proud father of two and co-owner of the Catch-Up Cafe in Kanturk with his mother Sonya. Seeing Jack today, operating in his buzzing cafe after launching his own brand of coffee, The Recovery Blend, he is upbeat, buoyant and full of enthusiasm for life and his business. Its one day at a time, he says. I love the cafe. I love the gang I work with. I love meeting and greeting the people who come in, the regular Monday morning walking ladies, I love them all. Jack is full of the joys of life, citing his cafe as a community hub for anyone who wants to chat about things we dont talk about in Ireland. I want the cafe to be a community cafe where people can meet up and chat - they dont even have to buy a coffee! he adds. How did Jack, after spiralling into drug addiction, buy into recovery and end up living life to the full? My desire to live was stronger than my desire to die, he says. It came to a point where I had three options; commit suicide because of my mental health deteriorating, overdose from drugs I was putting into my body; or get clean. He chose the right path. How did he go down the wrong path? I first started using drugs at the age of 13 when I used to smoke cannabis in my home town of Cobh, says Jack. The habit quickly escalated. I developed an addiction to the drug and other substances. In his teens and twenties, he says: I was hell-bent on self-annihilation. He did try to help himself. During my teenage years, I attended the Cork Life Centre where I sat my Junior Cert and my Leaving Cert, says Jack. I was never able to sit still in class or concentrate, so I worked in the cafeteria kitchen of the school. Its where I learned to cook and where I got my passion for cooking. Don OLeary, the director of the centre, helped me out, helping me focus my mind. However, Jack was in the grip of addiction. He spent half his waking hours acquiring and using drugs and the other half trying to hide the fact. At the start, it was all fun and games, he says. Then it grips you and gets hold of you. When youre younger, you smoke a bit of cannabis. It just progressed from there and it just got worse year after year. I would have been a daily cannabis user throughout 10 years of addiction, then my habit progressed to the likes of MDM and Xanax. The world of drugs is seedy. The squalor, dealing in dark corners, the shabbiness, mingling with shadows, the betrayals, constantly dialing the self-destruct button. I had brief moments of clarity when I wanted to give up, he says. My family never gave up on me. As his habit spiralled, his friends faded away. It started off with the lads having a bit of fun and this and that, says Jack. It ended up in a room on my own for years, not wanting to leave the house just using on my own. Where was the fun in that? Everyone thinks its great fun out partying and this and that, but I suppose it led me to a place day in, day out, using to survive, to be able to do anything. I felt high. On top of the world. Full of bravado. But Jack was in a spiral. I used to dwell on the bad things I said ages ago, he says. He had an achy, twitchy sadness about him, and was diagnosed with ADHD. But he had a supportive family around him. A family that would move mountains for him. They moved home for him. Moving to Kanturk, my parents thought it would help me kick the drug habit. It didnt, says Jack. They thought, rural Ireland. There will be nobody there with drugs. Wrong. Within a week I had all the contacts, says Jack. Drugs are everywhere, and are easily available. It can be a costly habit. Yes, I was spending 50 to 100 a day, says Jack. When he spent a stint in the UK in 2017, his drug addiction got worse. I ordered cocaine and crack like I was ordering pizza, says Jack. I worked in a warehouse. Id wake up early for work and smoke on the way in, Id smoke cannabis like cigarettes on the way back and all day during my breaks. When I finished work, Id do cocaine and Xanax. Was there any way back? I was like a big child, says Jack. I was lost for years. Jack returned home after a year and a half. Covid hit, making some people feel rock bottom. Jack was already at rock bottom. I was really limited at home, he says. The 350 Covid allowance I was getting was a big difference to my decent wages I got in the UK." Jack was isolated though. I saw nobody. I didnt interact with anybody. I didnt sleep for days. I was high all the time. Every day was a struggle. I had to rob Peter to pay Paul to fund my drug addiction. I would tell my parents that I was going to quit drug use many times. I was like a broken record. Jack was a broken man. I went out one weekend, and I literally said to them, If I dont die this weekend, thats it. Im getting clean. I cant live my life like this. And he didnt. I got home alive. Jack wanted to continue living. I spent Sunday in bed and on Monday I was on my way to rehab. Don was still in my life. He pointed me to Arbour House where I weaned off tablets for two weeks. I then went to Fellowship House in Cork for 90 days. How did Jack manage to stay put in Fellowship House for that long? I was set on leaving every day! laughs Jack. I even rang a taxi one evening to leave. I was told by the director Con Cremin to stay until morning and go then. Jack stayed the distance. The counselling and reflection at Fellowship House was very beneficial, he says. I had to find out what was I escaping from. What is all this about? I rebelled at first, but realised I had to be open. "I settled into treatment. The group classes were great. We were all in the same boat. I was not alone. What did he find out about himself? I had a mask on for years, says Jack. Now it was time to remove it. He says despite outward appearance, he was always a big softie at heart. I portrayed an aggressive manner. I wanted to fight everyone. I dealt with rough characters, and I thought, I cant be soft. I acted the big man. His grandmother always knew Jack was soft inside. Nanny stood by me for years and years, says Jack. He understood he had hurt people for a decade. My family suffered. Addiction is a family disease. They watched me try and kill myself slowly. For 10 years, Jack wasnt himself. I didnt know what I was saying. I didnt realise the things I had done. While getting clean, he did positive things. I used to frequent a cafe in Kanturk, and I got friendly with the owner, says Jack. She told me she was returning to Turkey after the earthquake there and was selling up. I said, jokingly to her, What do you want for it? Jack sold the idea of taking over the cafe to his parents. We talked it through, and it was a quick decision, says Jack. His mother Sonya is no softie when it comes to progress and moving forward. She said, right. Were doing it! And they did. With a lot of help from their friends. Niall, our carpenter, helped us get up and running. Hes working with us now. All the staff are on a WhatsApp group. Were here for each other every day. Why is it called Catch-Up Cafe? I wanted it to be a safe place for people not only in recovery, says Jack. I wanted people to come in and have a chat, have the banter and have the laugh. Jack is good at having the talk. I suppose it makes it OK to talk about mental health and addiction, he says. For people not to be afraid to talk about it, not be afraid of whats going to happen if they do talk about it. If I can stop one person from using from hearing my story, of hearing where I went with it, then that makes me happy. Jack still likes to party. Weve a family wedding next week and Im looking forward to it. He wont be in the shadows. Hell be on the dance floor. And Ill be the first man up in the morning! Gogglebox Ireland stars Dawn and Dale met in college fourteen years ago, and stressed that it wasnt love at first sight for the two of them. Dawn told The Echo, we met in college in 2010, many moons ago, we were on the same course in CIT, now MTU. We didnt hit it off straight away, we were polar opposites, but at this stage weve morphed into each other! She explained, I was very much a country girl, no fashion about me whatsoever and Dale was from the city. Dale added, she would be giving me daggers, Im quite loud and she was thinking shut up, but we got talking and realised we had the same sarcastic sense of humour, and we started getting on really well, then one thing led to another. Dawn explained, neither of us would have had girlfriends in the past, but we started dating in college of first year and its 2024 now in gay years thats a good 40-50 years. Dawn and Dale married in 2021 in Vienna Woods. Dale said that Dawn made the first move, explaining I was minding my own business and she went in for the kill, went in for a kiss - Im still thankful that she did. We were out for Paddys day, Dawn explained, we were in a gay bar, but we went there just because at the time we didnt think we were gay. We ended up dating for a while and didnt tell a lot of people at the time, it was new to us both so a bit of a struggle, but eventually we told our close friends, then our siblings and then our parents. Dawn and Dale in 2012. Dawn proposed to Dale in 2019, while they were on a weekend away in Connemara, explaining I had the ring, and Id never been so nervous usually I fall asleep the first ten minutes in the car like a toddler but I was wide awake the entire time. We arrived at this little hotel and I basically forced her to go into the bathroom so I could get the ring in my pocket then we went for a stroll and found a little bench overlooking the beach. Cork couple Dawn and Dale. Dale said yes, and Dawn recalled, it was difficult being a female proposing when youre younger you picture a man proposing to you but for two women theres a lot of emotions involved. They booked their wedding venue two weeks before lockdown, and married in 2021, just when the restrictions had been eased to allow 100 guests, and she said it didnt feel like a Covid wedding. They married in October 2021 in Vienna woods, with their guest list cut in half, but the couple say that this meant that everyone that attended is someone they were close to, adding we talked to everyone, we danced with everyone! Nowadays, Dale says their life is simple, explaining were becoming fans of the gym, because were really big fans of food so we have to cancel it out somehow. My darling Dawnie is like a little Gordon Ramsey, she opens the fridge and even with ingredients that dont make sense together shed be able to whip up something amazing. They live in Carrigaline and enjoy going on walks in the area and are always on the go, spending time with family and their big group of friends every weekend. Dawn added, we were both very lucky with our families, we got no negativity when we came out we told them at different stages but thankfully it all worked out, and they get on very well at our wedding it was like not two families but one. If I go home my mum will immediately ask wheres Dale, she said, with Dale adding I close the door behind me and my mom rushes to open it for Dawn! Prison authorities were asked to provide every possible facility to assist a man trying to rehabilitate from drug addiction in a case where he was remanded in custody arising out of an investigation into multiple break-ins to cafes and other commercial premises in and around Cork city. The defendants solicitor Diane Hallahan asked the judge to direct prison authorities to provide all available facilities in this regard. Judge Mary Dorgan said she was not going to accede to the application to direct the prison governor but would ask that the facilities be made available. At Cork District Court, Judge Mary Dorgan remanded Edward Collins, aged 31, of St Vincents Hostel, Anglesea Tce, Cork, in custody until July 30 on multiple counts of burglary and causing criminal damage at premises. He is accused of burglary at Costa Coffee on Emmet Place on November 5. The following day he allegedly burgled The Four Liars bistro on Dominic St, stole cash, and caused damage. On March 6 this year he allegedly carried out a burglary at Floral Decor House on Cross Douglas Rd, Cork, causing extensive damage. He is also accused of causing criminal damage to Cafe Moly, Douglas St, on March 8. Mr Collins is charged with burglary at Kasab on Glasheen Rd on the same date and causing criminal damage to a premises known as Chair on Georges Quay. On that date he is also accused of burglary at the Lough Cafe, and in a fifth charge related to March 8 he is charged with causing extensive damage to the front of The Lough Hair Studio. Two days later he allegedly burgled Amy Michelle Hairdressing on High St, Turners Cross. In relation to March 15 he is charged with burglary at The Flying Enterprise. On the application of Sergeant Gearoid Davis, the case was adjourned for DPP directions. The Cork Mother Jones Committee has announced that the 2024 Spirit of Mother Jones Award has been awarded to the people of Palestine. The award will be presented to Ms Zeina Alazzeh, of the embassy of the state of Palestine, at the Dance Cork Firkin Crane on Friday evening, after the Stories of Palestine meeting at 7pm. Ms Alazzeh has been nominated by the ambassador of Palestine to Ireland, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, to accept this award. A spokesperson for the committee said: The Cork Mother Jones Committee is pleased to present the 2024 Spirit of Mother Jones Award to the people of Palestine. We remain honoured by the decision of ambassador Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid to accept this award on behalf of the State of Palestine. Although, in practical terms, an award such as this remains almost a trivial offering, we believe it represents a symbolic and heartfelt gesture of support by many Cork people to an entire population facing genocide, in that we are recording the fact that human beings everywhere should bear witness to the sufferings of Palestinians. Along with the many thousands of people who have marched through Cork city each week and across Ireland since October 2023, we wish to also add our support for the people of Palestine by conferring on them the Spirit of Mother Jones Award. Accepting the Spirit of Mother Jones award, Dr Abdalmajid wrote in her letter to the committee: I am so pleased to accept this award which honours the people of Palestine. During this difficult time, and while our people in Palestine are experiencing the highest form of misery and catastrophe, we find a glimmer of hope through the Irish peoples support and solidarity. It is heart-warming that there are still nations that stand up for basic human rights, but sadly this is not the case everywhere. Mary Harris was a brave mother like thousands of Palestinian mothers who lost their children. It is the loss of a mothers child, and how she could hold back her grief and despair to create a better life. Her commitment to standing up against injustice holds great values that are reflected in this award and we are honoured to be credited with it. FESTIVAL The opening of the 2024 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival and summer school will take place on Thursday at 1pm at the Maldron Hotel. Almost 30 events will take place at this years three-day festival in and around Shandon. This opening of the annual festival and summer school will again be showcased by the performance of the Kalyna Ukrainian Community Choir, who will give a rendition of Ukrainian songs interspersed with Irish ones. This festival, which celebrates the life and activities of Cork-born Mary Harris known throughout the world as Mother Jones. Full details can be obtained at www.motherjonescork.com. A community cafe in Mahon which is run by a local charity that supports children with autism and their families in Cork was broken into in the early hours of Monday morning. The Rainbow Clubs Cottage Community Cafe is run by part-time staff and volunteers, and also offers work experience to the clubs teens and young adults as well as catering for vulnerable and elderly people in the area. The cafe shared on social media that they would not be opening on Monday as result of the break in, which they said was highly disheartening and had left them disgusted. They wrote, Sadly our cafe was broken into over the weekend. Thankfully none of our staff were present and damage was minimal, however the cost of closure and the repairs will have a massive impact on our business. This crime is highly disheartening to our team who work so hard to ensure our cafe is a safe and welcoming place for all. We are truly disgusted by this awful act. Thankfully our CCTV has caught the individual responsible and the footage has been passed to the Gardai. Karen O'Mahony, founder of the Rainbow Club, explained that the doors had been broken open and the till had been wrenched from its place and brought outside where it was broken into and the float stolen. We have very clear CCTV so hopefully that will come to something, but there was an initial knock on effect this morning for the staff - Monday would be a very busy day, its the start of the week so they prep food for the week, fill fridges, put away shopping etc. They werent able to get into the cafe until afternoon as Gardai were on site, and could only start on the prep work and cleaning the place then, so the cafe could not open today, which meant customers such as parents waiting to collect their children from summer provision, groups who come in for breakfast after their yoga class, had to be turned away. Ms OMahony explained, The staff were really upset, the initial feeling of someone getting into our little hub which is such a safe and welcoming place is really hard to process. We were trying to process that, and then elderly people came to the doors, people that come in for daily social gathering and to have a chat with staff - we had to send them away, so we were really upset about that. The Cafe has recently gone through a revamp, with Ms OMahony explaining that they invested a lot of money into it for the community, saying its a DEIS area where a lot of people struggle on a daily basis. When somebody comes in and interferes with the cafe, it can be hard to accept we try to hard to make it a positive place and this individual had no regard whatsoever for that. They have lost out on the money that was taken, the takings for today and the damage to the doors and till, so its been a difficult day for us, but everyone knows the Rainbow Club, we dont allow things to stop us this wont stop us, well be open again in the morning, Ms OMahony said. The team of gardai investigating the cases against 10 men accused of conspiring to import drugs into Ireland hopes to send their file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in eight weeks, it emerged today. Detective Sergeant Michael Lyons attended at Cork District Court to give a progress report on the investigation when three Spanish nationals appeared in court by video link from prison. Solicitor Eddie Burke complained on behalf of one of the accused that there did not appear to be anything new on the progress which was outlined a fortnight ago. Det Sgt Lyons said that his evidence on phone analysis was new. He said that seven seized phones were of particular interest and two of the phones had been unlocked and that five others continued to be analysed. What we can say is these phones are quite well secured, Det Sgt Lyons said. When Mr Burke said that, for instance, the reference to enquiries with police in both South America and North America that this evidence had been given before, Det Sgt Lyons replied that there had been further communications with North and South American police since this was mentioned a fortnight ago. Det Sgt Lyons said the file would be sent to the DPP unless one of the many lines of enquiry brought the investigation off on a new threat. Barrister Nicholas Hall, who represented two of the accused, asked if the prosecution could give a more exact indication about time given that the accused had been in custody for a period approaching five months now: He is in custody since March. He is regrettably at sea about how their investigation is proceeding. Mr Hall complained that the reference to possibly eight weeks was nebulous from the point of view of the accused men. COMPLEX INVESTIGATION Judge Mary Dorgan said it was a complex investigation and that the time being taken was not unreasonable. All three accused before the court today were remanded in continuing custody until the first remand court of the summer, August 2. Det Sgt Lyons said that a rigid inflatable boat had been examined as part of the investigation, there were over 350 statements from gardai and witnesses, more than 310 lines of enquiry are being followed, over 2,000 hours of CCTV harvested and being examined, more than 700 exhibits seized, photographed and catalogued and more than 50 electronic devices seized and examined. He said numerous enquiries were ongoing with Europol and Interpol and gardai were liaising with a number of other international law enforcement agencies in South America and North America. Pedro Padio Ojeda Ortega, 35, of Cadiz, Spain, who was represented by solicitor, Eddie Burke, was remanded in custody until July 23. Angel Serran Padilla, 39, of Malaga, Spain, and Raul Garcia Tabares, 48, of Cadiz, Spain, were represented by barrister Nicholas Hall. Each of the accused and seven other men also before the courts is accused of conspiring with nine others to import drugs. The charge in each case states, That you [defendants name] on dates between February 27 and March 14, both dates inclusive, within the state, did conspire with one or more persons, namely [nine other names] to do an act in the state that constitutes a serious offence, namely the importation of controlled drugs in excess of 13,000, an offence contrary of Section 15B (1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as amended and contrary to Section 71 (1) (a) (4) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 as amended by Section 4 (b) of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions ) Act 2023. Gardai objected to bail being granted to a Cork man accused of burgling the home of an 85-year-old woman in Mayfield but he insisted, Its not me. Garda Elaine Murphy gave evidence on the charge against 36-year-old Don Duggan of 65 Ballinderry Park, Mayfield, Cork, at Cork District Court. The charge stated that he entered the home at Iona Park, Mayfield, on June 28 as a trespasser and attempted to commit the arrestable offence of theft. Garda Murphy said the allegations in the case were that Don Duggan entered the home of an 85-year-old woman through the rear door of the house. He was disturbed by the daughter of the household and fled out the bedroom window. He was pursued on foot from the scene by the daughter and he ran up Murmount Crescent. CCTV captured the man running from the scene, Garda Murphy said. Gardai identified the man on CCTV as Don Duggan. He said it was not him. Judge Mary Dorgan remanded him in custody until Thursday and said the bail application would be viewed again then. Garda Murphy said the accused was on High Court bail for another alleged offence at this time and that this was one of the grounds for objecting to bail on this new charge. I committed no offence on bail, Don Duggan said. Cross-examined by Sergeant Dave Delea, the defendant said, Its not me on CCTV. He also said during cross-examination, I was never given a chance by the system. The system failed my family. Hand on the bible, I am telling the truth. Mr Duggan also said he suffered post-traumatic stress after coming across the scene of a prisoners suicide in 2019. Rescue teams involved in the search for a man reported missing in the Placer County wilderness. Placer County Sheriffs Office Rescue teams continued searching Monday for a 70-year-old man who went missing during a group Jeep trip on the Rubicon Trail in Placer County last week, sheriffs officials said. The man, identified as Warren Elliott, was last seen Friday afternoon. He was wearing a blue denim short sleeve shirt and blue denim shorts when he walked away from a group driving off-road vehicles, according to witnesses and the Placer County Sheriffs Office. According to an update posted to social media Monday morning, Elliott was with a crew doing trail rehab in advance of a Jeep Jamboree this weekend. He was a passenger in a Jeep being driven by his son when he walked away from the group. Crews on Monday planned to focus the search in the Rubicon Springs area, with assistance from the California and Nevada National Guard helicopters, sheriffs officials said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Approximately 50 searchers were out on Monday, including two drone operators and four dog teams. Homewood Mountain Resort was being used as a staging area. Rescue teams were searching the area of Rubicon Springs in Placer County for a man who was reported missing. Google Maps No further details about Elliott were immediately available. We thank all of the trained volunteers who have come out to assist, the sheriffs office tweeted. High Court reporters The Health Service Executive has failed in a High Court challenge to a decision permitting RTE access to records relating to the compliance of certain HSE employees with their disclosure obligations under the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995. Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger said the HSEs criticism of the Information Commissioner for failing to engage with its arguments made in appealing his decision to allow RTE to have the information "have neither a factual basis nor any merit". The Ethics Act requires certain employees of public bodies, including the HSE, to file a statement of interest relating to their interests. It also applies to the interests of their spouses or partners or children of which they have actual knowledge, which could materially influence them in or relating to the performance of their official duties. The HSE requires their relevant employees to submit a statement of interest even if they have no such interest, in which case their statements will say "nil interest". The HSE treats its database of statements of interest confidentially in accordance with its own code of governance. In May 2022, under Freedom of Information (FOI) request, RTE sought copies of registers from the HSE that recorded the statements of interest submitted by certain designated employees for the years from 2015 to 2021, including the names of those who submitted or who did not submit the statements of interest required of them. The HSEs FOI decision-maker refused the request, and that decision was upheld by an internal review. RTE lodged an appeal with the Information Commissioner, who, following a process, held that the HSE was not justified in refusing access under the Freedom of Information Act. However, the Commissioner said certain information could be blacked out. The HSE brought a High Court appeal against the Commissioner over the decision, with RTE as a notice party. The HSE argued, among other things, that the Commissioner wrongly concluded that the information sought by RTE came within the exclusions of the definition of personal information under the FOI Act, having had regard to the requirements imposed by the Ethics Act. It was also argued that the Commissioner failed to address the arguments they made that disclosure was precluded due to duty of confidence requirements. It argued the Commissioner failed to give reasons for the decision as required by law. The Commissioner opposed the appeal. Refusing the appeal, Ms Justice Bolger said the Commissioner recorded and considered the arguments made by the HSE, both of which are clearly set out in the Commissioner's decision. "The brevity with which this was done reflects the extent and relevance of the argument made by the HSE," she said, ruling that the decision of the Commissioner stands. The number of San Francisco Police Department officers earning more than $100,000 in overtime more than tripled from 131 in the July 2021-June 2022 fiscal year to 493 in the July 2023-June 2024 fiscal year. Minh Connors/The Chronicle As a sergeant at the San Francisco Police Department, Dennis Lai makes just under $180,000 a year, a salary comfortably above the citys median income for a family of four. But thats only a quarter of what he actually earned last fiscal year. Lai boosted his salary by earning more than $450,000 in overtime pay. Thats the most overtime earned by a city employee since at least 2013, a Chronicle analysis of data from the San Francisco Controllers Office found. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Overtime paid to police officers in San Francisco skyrocketed in the previous three years as staffing at the department declined. The number of police earning more than $100,000 in overtime more than tripled from 131 in the July 2021-June 2022 fiscal year to 493 in the July 2023-June 2024 fiscal year. The rise comes despite research, previously cited by the city, showing working overtime shifts can lead to worse performance by officers. Median overtime paid to police officers more than doubled over that same period going from $32,500 to $67,200, the data shows. Evan Sernoffsky, a spokesperson for the police department, said that the increasing overtime is a stopgap measure in the face of continued staffing shortages. He shared data that showed the police department has 415 fewer sworn officers than it did in 2020, though he added that the department has had more recruits in 2024 than in any time since the pandemic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tracy McCray, the president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, said that the increasing overtime is an unsustainable, necessary evil that needs to be addressed immediately. Unless you want to see a catastrophic cut to police services, the City must either solve the staffing crisis or run the department through overtime, McCray said. Most of our officers would prefer to keep their days off and their scheduled vacations to spend time with their families and loved ones rather than work countless hours of overtime. Sernoffsky also noted that the overtime pay in the data includes that from the 10-B program, a decades-old program that allows for local businesses or people to hire off-duty police officers as private security and pay their overtime wages for it, and in those cases overtime pay does not come from the city budget. He did not respond to questions about how many of the overtime hours logged were due to the 10-B program. The dramatic rise in overtime has occurred in spite of a city law that caps the total number of overtime hours a full-time city employee can work at 520 hours in one fiscal year unless a critical staffing shortage necessitates an exemption, in which case the citys director of human resources can raise the overtime cap for certain departments. A spokesperson for the police union said that the overtime cap for the police department has been repeatedly increased over the past few years, and is now at 2,000, with overages beyond that allowed in certain circumstances. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Last fiscal year, 64 officers worked beyond the 2,000 hour cap, according to the Controllers Office data. More than 85% of officers surpassed the 520 cap that applies to other city employees. For his part, Lai logged almost 3,500 hours in overtime, which would be the equivalent of working 21-hour days if those shifts were split evenly across five days every week of the year. The police department is not the only department with skyrocketing overtime. Four of the top 15 earners in overtime worked for the sheriffs office. In April, the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs Association posted a note on their website criticizing the sheriffs department on its heavy use of overtime, saying that, logging an average of 28 hours of overtime a week, deputies are being pushed to their limits. The implications of this overtime slavery are profound. More than half of the deputies report high blood pressure, a third suffer from sleep apnea, and nearly three-quarters exhibit symptoms of depression, the post said. These stark figures underscore a workforce on the brink, their physical and mental health hanging in the balance. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Francisco is far from the only city increasing police overtime pay in response to staffing shortages. Local news outlets across the country from Boston to Chicago to Washington D.C. to San Jose have all reported on soaring overtime pay for police officers in recent months. And experts for decades have cautioned that police working long overtime hours is unsustainable. In 1996, in response to rising police overtime, the San Francisco city budget analyst wrote in a report that the high amounts of overtime could negatively impact public safety. Police officers who work a high number of overtime hours can become fatigued, increasing the potential for using poor judgment during the performance of their duties, the report said. Using poor judgment can impact the safety of the police officer, his or her co-workers and the public, and can result in increased officer injury and workers compensation costs for the City. A 2016 report on San Jose police overtime had similar warnings. A 2017 report on overtime at the Kings County (Wash.) Sheriffs Office, whose jurisdiction includes Seattle, found that as the number of overtime hours an officer worked increased, the risk that that officer would be involved in a use-of-force incident, car accident or an ethics violation increased. Sernoffsky said that the SFPD is eagerly working to recruit more officers every day, including through outreach outside of California, at HBCUs and through the 30X30 campaign, which focuses on increasing the number of women in policing. He said the departments most recent class of recruits was its largest since 2018, and it expects next months recruitment class to be similar. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The European Commission really isn't happy about a Meta business model that gives users in the EU, European Economic Area and Switzerland the generous choice of continuing to use Facebook and Instagram with targeted ads without paying anything, or signing up for a monthly subscription that's said to offer an ad-free experience. Officials from the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network a group of national authorities that enforce EU consumer protection laws have suggested that Meta may be violating consumer legislation with the "pay or consent" approach. The Commission, which is the European Union's executive arm, coordinated the group's action against Meta . The CPC Network sent Meta a letter laying out numerous ways in which it believes the company may be violating consumer laws. The company has until September 1 to reply and propose solutions to officials' concerns. If CPC officials find that Meta doesn't take appropriate steps to solve the problems, they could take enforcement actions against the company, which may include sanctions. CPC authorities have suggested that Meta is misleading users by describing its platforms as free to use if they opt not to pay for a subscription, when Meta in fact monetizes their personal data by displaying targeted ads. They further say that Meta is "confusing users" by requiring them to access different areas of the privacy policy and terms of service to see how their data is being used for personalized ads. Officials have also taken aim at Meta's "imprecise terms and language" that suggest subscribers will not see ads at all, even though those still might be displayed "when engaging with content shared via Facebook or Instagram by other members of the platform." Furthermore, they claim Meta is pressuring users who have long used Facebook and Instagram without forking over any payment "to make an immediate choice, without giving them a pre-warning, sufficient time and a real opportunity to assess how that choice might affect their contractual relationship with Meta, by not letting them access their accounts before making their choice." Meta introduced its "pay or consent" options last year in an attempt to comply with the EU's data protection laws while maintaining its advertising model. CPC officials say they are concerned that "many consumers might have been exposed to undue pressure to choose rapidly" between consenting to data collection or paying a monthly fee, "fearing that they would instantly lose access to their accounts and their network of contacts." This action is separate from other investigations the EU is carrying out against Meta over the "pay or consent" model. Earlier this month, the EU said Meta had potentially breached the Digital Markets Act with this approach. If found guilty, Meta could be on the hook for a fine of up to 10 percent of its global annual revenue. 4 La Junta asegura que este viernes se "va a saber de que se tienen que preparar" los estudiantes andaluces para la PEvAU Fremont police are investigating two fatal shootings Saturday, about 5 miles apart. Fremont Police Department A man and a woman were fatally shot Saturday in Fremont in separate incidents police believe are unrelated. Police first responded to reports of a shooting near Blaisdell Way and Nichols Avenue at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Officers found a man with gunshot wounds and began lifesaving efforts, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Fremont Police Department. Police said no one had been arrested as of Sunday, but there was no threat to the community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Later, officers responded to a report of a shooting around 8:55 p.m. near Lake Arrowhead Avenue and Alvarado Road, about 5 miles away. They found a woman with a gunshot wound, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said they believe the victim knew the assailant, who fled the scene. Lidl has announced it will 'financially reward' its beef farmer suppliers for achieving a reduction in carbon intensity and adopting regenerative farming techniques. The retailer has announced measures today (22 July) to support the beef sector to become more sustainable, including the launch of a new Sustainable Beef Group. Those in the group will be financially rewarded for improving biodiversity, as well as setting up soil and water quality parameters that are unique to each farm. The supermarket chain said it will work with these farmers to improve herd performance, with all initiatives also aiming to improve farm profitability. Hundreds of farms across the UK who supply Lidl have already been carbon footprinted to gather data. In partnership with the agricultural consultancy Promar, each farm will be offered advice to reduce their emissions and support the sustainable growth of their businesses. Within their partnership, Lidl and Dunbia have set a target to reduce their scope 3 emissions intensity by 28% per tonne of finished product, by 2030. Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl, said: As one of the largest buyers of British beef, we recognise our responsibility to support farmers adopt sustainable practices. "This market-leading programme underpins our long-term commitment to buying 100% British, whilst investing significantly in sustainable practices that exceed industry standards. "It ensures our customers can continue to enjoy the best in high-quality, sustainably sourced British beef at the lowest possible prices." Gill Higgins, group sustainability director at Dunbia, added: "This initiative will support British beef farmers in adopting more sustainable farming methods, while ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality beef for Lidl and their customers. "This is a great example of how strategic partnerships and supply chain investment can support progress in the agri-food industry." Despite a fall in Scotland's overall beef herd over the past year, data from British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) indicates a big increase in prime cattle numbers on farms compared to 2023. According to the latest market commentary by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), in April 2024, there was a marked 4.4% increase in the pool of males and beef-sired females aged 12 to 30 months compared to the previous year. Despite the continuing decline in Scotlands beef herd, the BCMS data shows that the small year-on-year increases in prime cattle on Scottish farms in the second half of 2023 have become more significant in 2024. This is likely to have been even stronger after accounting for age at death and is likely to have contributed to the downwards pressure on prime cattle prices observed in the spring. However, a seasonal dip in availability for slaughter has resulted in a slight price rebound since mid-June, with R4L steers reaching 489.8p/kg at Scottish abattoirs in the second week of July - 1.6% above the early-June low, yet still 3.9% below the year-to-date peak in February. Driving the year-on-year increase in prime cattle supply on Scottish farms has been a decline in the outflow of store cattle to England and Wales from its peak, alongside the legacy of an increased spring calf crop in 2022. Iain Macdonald, market intelligence manager at QMS said: It's worth noting that the elevated outflow of store cattle to England continues to squeeze the prime cattle kill at Scottish abattoirs. "While slaughter numbers showed some increase from the lows of 2023 in the second quarter of this year, they still remained well below the five-year average. BCMS data from April suggests that prime cattle numbers are expected to remain higher than a year earlier on Scottish farms in the second half of 2024, although the rate of increase is likely to soften as the slaughter pool shifts towards younger age groups. Those aged 12-18 months in April were up by a smaller 2% on the year, while a reduction at 6-12 months in April may begin to impact availability in the final quarter of 2024, with peak effects expected by spring 2025 due to a typical age at death of around 21 months. Mr Macdonald noted: South of the border, the picture is slightly different. There was a smaller year-on-year increase in slaughter availability in the first half compared to Scotland. "This trend is expected to continue into the third quarter before potentially tightening compared to 2023 in the run up to Christmas. This reflects earlier declines in calf registrations in England and Wales compared to Scotland during the 2022 herd contraction. "Unlike Scotland, there was a small decline in the 12-18-month age group in April compared to a year earlier, while the rise at 18-24 months was approximately one-third of the 6% increase seen in Scotland. Similarly steep reductions of over 4% in the 6-12-month age group on both sides of the border point to a very tight supply of shorter keep store cattle at autumn sales. This is likely to result in strong competition for Scottish-born stores from finishers across Britain. For longer keep stores, supply will also remain tight, with year-on-year reductions at under six months in April closer to 2%. Mr Macdonald said: Concerningly, BCMS population data signals a renewed acceleration in the year-on-year decline of the beef breeding herd, with beef-sired females aged over 30 months on Scottish farms down 2.4% from April 2023. "Meanwhile, the decline in England and Wales continued to outpace Scotland, showing a year-on-year reduction of 3.2%, indicating ongoing competition for Scotlands suckler-bred store cattle. Looking back over the past six years, the decline in beef-sired females in England and Wales has been significantly steeper than in Scotland, at 14.2% compared to 10.4% for those aged over 30 months. "Consequently, it's crucial to support Scottish finishers to enhance competitiveness and maximise the number of Scotch-eligible cattle remaining in Scotland. A further decline in Scotlands beef herd this year means that a reduced 2024 calf crop follows a 2.7% fall in calf registrations in 2023, pointing to further tightening of store cattle availability in 2025 and continued pressure on prime cattle availability in 2026. Mr Macdonald concluded: In addition to reduced economic activity from farming and processing, a declining beef herd will impact the output, GVA, and jobs generated by their supply sectors, potentially leading to wider social impacts. To counteract these trends, modelling indicates that taking action in Scotland to stabilise the beef herd, boost productivity, and reduce the outflow of store cattle could shift the economic narrative from contraction to growth by 2030. Meanwhile, given similar downward trends in beef production south of the border, there is potential for significant impact on UK food security." Staffordshire based shearer Nick Greaves will be attempting to break the current 8-Hour World Lamb Shearing Record at his farm on 3 August. An experienced shearer, Nick will be attempting to break the record currently held by Jack Fagan of New Zealand who shorn 754 lambs in 2022. Nick, 29, farms in partnership with his parents, running 1,350 ewes, 500 ewe lambs and 150 cattle, near Stafford. As well as shearing in the UK, Nick has also sheared in New Zealand and Italy throughout his career. On his upcoming record, he said: "I did a 2 stand British record in 2022 with Llyr Jones from Wales and I set the new single stand record which was beat a week later. "I wanted to use my experiences from the record in 2022 as a stepping stone in getting onto the World Record ladder." On his achievements to date, Nick added: "My best personal achievement to date would be having a mini-me follow me around the farm all day Eric is 3 and a half and is farming/ shearing mad. "My best shearing achievement would be winning the English National, the Open and Six Nations at this year's Royal Bath and West Show "I had been second in the National twice previously but had never won the National before. It was always a goal in my career after watching Adam Berry win it year after year as I was coming through the grades." Cancer Research UK will be the record attempts nominated charity with fundraising taking place during the day. Moby Grape performs on stage at the Monterey International Pop Festival on June 17, 1967. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Jerry Miller, the guitarist and co-founder of the pioneering San Francisco psychedelic rock band Moby Grape, died on Sunday, July 21, at the age of 81. His grandson, Cody, confirmed the news to Rolling Stone, though the cause of death was not disclosed. A native of Tacoma, Wash., Miller arrived in San Francisco in 1966 as the local music scene was exploding with bands like the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Big Brother and the Holding Company. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bob Mosley, left, Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson, Peter Lewis and Skip Spence of the San Francisco psychedelic rock band Moby Grape pose for a portrait circa 1967. Miller has died at 81. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Along with co-founder Alexander Skip Spence, formerly of Jefferson Airplane, Miller launched Moby Grape. The band, known for its intricate harmonies and musicianship, was considered one of the most promising acts of the late 60s San Francisco sound, influencing groups such as Buffalo Springfield and the Doobie Brothers. Moby Grape peaked with its self-titled debut album in June 1967, during the Summer of Love. Its one of the few rock n roll albums of any era that you can say, That is a perfect debut album, said Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke. But misfortune soon followed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the album release party at San Franciscos Avalon Ballroom, several members were arrested for pot possession and contributing to the delinquency of minors. The charges were later dropped. The bands management squandered the chance to appear in the Monterey International Pop Festival documentary. Moby Grapes legacy was ultimately sealed the following year when Spence, exhibiting early signs of mental illness, attacked the other musicians with an ax after a drug-fueled psychotic episode, marking the first of many visits to the psychiatric ward. Jerry Miller, left, and Peter Lewis of Moby Grape perform at the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza in February 1978. Clayton Call/Getty Images/Redferns By 1971, Moby Grape disbanded. We could have had it all, but we ended up with pretty well nothing, Miller told the Seattle Times in 2021. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Born on July 10, 1943, in Tacoma, Miller began his musical career in the late 1950s with Northwest dance-rock bands like the Elegants and the Frantics. Having picked up the guitar at age 8, after graduating from Lincoln High School he contributed to an early version of I Fought the Law by Bobby Fuller and formed a friendship with Jimi Hendrix. The two often visited the Spanish Castle, a venue that inspired Hendrixs song Spanish Castle Magic. Admired by artists like Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin, Moby Grape and Millers guitar work left a lasting impression on rock music. Led Zeppelin rehearsed Moby Grape songs, and their 1970 track Since Ive Been Loving You drew comparisons to Moby Grapes Never. Jerry Miller, former Moby Grape guitarist, performs as the Jerry Miller Band. Universal Images Group via Getty Images Miller co-wrote some of Moby Grapes best-known songs such as Hey Grandma and 8:05 from their debut album, and Murder in My Heart for the Judge from their 1968 album Wow. These tracks were later covered by artists like Three Dog Night and Robert Plant. Had it not been for five band members being stupid and one manager being pretty greedy, we could have kept going, Miller said reminiscing about his days with Moby Grape in a 2021 interview with NAMM. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Moby Grape guitarist Jerry Miller made his last San Francisco appearance at the Chapel on June 15 at a tribute for his former bandmate, Skip Spence. Emi Ito/The Chapel After pursuing a solo career, Miller returned to Tacoma in the 1990s, settling near his childhood home and continuing to perform. In 2010, he reunited with surviving original members of Moby Grape and Spences son, Omar, to record an album that ultimately went unreleased. Things got thin once in a while, Miller said in the 2021 interview. Overall, this is probably the best time Ive ever had now. I get to relax a little bit. A couple of dogs. A fenced yard. Two or three gigs a week. Feeling good. Details regarding survivors or memorial plans have not been made available. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pizzas cook in the wood-fired brick oven at Tommasos. The oven is said to have inspired Alice Waters to get a similar one at Chez Panisse. Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle Tommasos Ristorante Italiano, one of North Beachs most storied red sauce joints, will soon have new owners to carry on its legacy. The Crotti family, the restaurants operators for 51 years, announced recently that they are retiring and have sold Tommasos to new management. Carmen Crotti, 68, has worked at the restaurant since her teenage years. She said the decision is bittersweet, but workdays stretching as long as 12 hours are starting to take a toll. Its not getting easier, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Crotti said she is currently unable to comment on who the new operators are, but she did say the family made it a priority to entrust the restaurant to a group that will preserve the Tommasos name and history. The transfer will happen in late December, when the Crottis take a break during the holidays. Its meant to be a seamless transition, Crotti said. Public records show the family still owns the property at 1042 Kearny St. A listing for the property showed it was for sale for $3 million: $2.7 million for the building, and $300,000 for the restaurant. Francis Ford Coppola, director of The Godfather trilogy, has often been spotted in Tommasos basement dining room, flanked by murals of the rugged Italian coasts cliffs. The wood-fired brick oven is also said to be an inspiration for Alice Waters oven at Chez Panisse. Customers file into Tommasos, whose dining room is located below street level, in 2017. Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle The restaurant dates to 1935, and is widely considered the longest-running restaurant in North Beach. (Fior DItalia, founded in 1886, also lays claim to the distinction, though it has closed and moved, most recently in 2012.) Its original owners, the Cantalupo family, operated it as Lupos and served pizza and other Italian dishes they brought from their native Naples. The Crottis took over the restaurant in 1973 after purchasing it from Tommy Chin, Lupos chef of 35 years. Chin owned the restaurant for two years before selling. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The family has been looking for a buyer to take over the restaurant since April of last year, the San Francisco Standard reported. In 2017, the restaurant earned Legacy Business status, a designation for businesses that have been open for over 30 years and have contributed to neighborhood history. Longtime Chronicle columnist Herb Caen commented on seeing Coppola and former California Gov. Jerry Brown at the restaurant in a 1989 column. For the benefit of latecomers, Tommasos still makes the best classical pizza in town a real achievement after 50 years of distinguished heartburn, Caen wrote. Carmen Crotti said she is happy to retire, and feels grateful to have stewarded the restaurant for so long. My best friends are people I met at the restaurant. I met my husband at the restaurant, she said. But its time now. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mr England organisers' fears of a national "hunk shortage" have eased following a surge of applications. Mr England needs applicants The pageant enlisted the services of Miss England Milla Magee to appeal for men to come forward for the chance to represent their country as Mr World, and in just over a week, 100 males have signed up. However, the competition is desperately seeking younger entrants between the ages of 17-27 as they've mainly received entry forms from older men. Organiser Angie Beasley told the Daily Star newspaper: "We have had a surge of entries in the past week but its mainly the older generation that are entering. "A contestant age 67 entered which is slightly over the entry age for Mr World but its good to see the applications coming through now. "Entry age for Mr England this year is 17-41 as we are sending winners to both Mr World in Vietnam which takes place in September and Mr International in December in Thailand. "So both winners will get to travel afar this year." Shannen Doherty's divorce was finalised two days after her death. Shannen Doherty's divorce was finalised two days after her death The Beverly Hills, 90201 star passed away on July 13 at the age of 53 after a long battle with cancer and it was previously revealed she managed to reach a settlement with her estranged husband Kurt Iswarienko a day before she died - and now it has emerged the case was signed off by a judge two days after she died to grant her a rare posthumous divorce on 15 July. In the court documents, it was revealed Shannen agreed to waive spousal support and opted for a default or uncontested dissolution of her marriage to Kurt. It has been reported that the TV star kept the former couple's home in Malibu, California, as well as a Salvador Dali painting, several cars and all earnings from her acting career. No further details have been released about who will inherit Shannen's estate. The former couple wed in 2011 and Shannon filed for divorce last year. The legal spat turned nasty earlier this year when Shannen claim in court papers that Kurt was hoping "I die before he is required to pay me while he continues to live his life and shirk his responsibilities to his dying wife of more than 11 years. A lawyer for the snapper rejected her claims, alleging he wanted to finalise their divorce in September 2023 with a settlement deal which was denied by Shannen as he allegedly skirted around how much he earned in the early aughts of their marriage. After Shannon's death, her friend Tara Furiani accused Kurt of showing a lack of humanity during the divorce battle. In a message shared via LinkedIn, Tara explained: "Im really sad and upset about my friend Shannens death Because of the divorce she was going through at the time. "She had stage 4 breast cancer that has metastasised to numerous parts of her body, death was inevitable and she knew that made peace with that. "Shan lost everything (including her SAG insurance) and her husband was dragging his feet with income discovery in court, in an effort to delay a judgement or payment, until she died (where it would now be moot). "Life is so hard life is extra hard with cancer and without the support you thought youd have. If you have the opportunity to be a decent person, take it. You have no idea what people are dealing with and going through." Another of the actress' pals added to New York Post column PageSix: "We knew that it was really bad. She fought so hard, and its so unfair Shannon died before the divorce could be rubber-stamped in the courts. All we wanted was for Shannon to get her final wish - to die as a divorced woman." Slash has been left devastated by the death of his stepdaughter. Slash's stepdaughter has died The Guns 'N Roses guitarist had announced on Sunday (21.07.24) that he was pulling out of four shows on his 'S.E.R.P.E.N.T.' festival tour due to "unforeseen circumstances" and hours later, he revealed he and his partner Meegan Hodges were mourning the loss of 25-year-old Lucy-Bleu Knight. He wrote on Instagram: "Lucy-Bleu Knight (December 6, 1998), beloved daughter of Meegan Hodges and Mark Knight, stepdaughter of Samantha Somers Knight and Slash, sister of Scarlet Knight, stepsister of London and Cash Hudson, passed away peacefully in Los Angeles, CA on July 19, 2024. "Lucy-Bleu was an incredibly talented artist, a passionate dreamer, and a charming, lovable, sweet soul. "The family asks for privacy at this time and requests that social media speculation be kept to a minimum as they grieve and process this devastating loss." A number of Slash's famous friends offered their condolences. His GNR bandmate Duff McKagan's wife Susan commented: "words cannot express our deepest sympathy and condolences. love you all so much (sic)" Dave Grohl's daughter Violet posted: "My heart hurts for you guys. all the love to your family rn.(sic)" And Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea wrote: "Oh man, god bless.(sic)" Slash first dated Meegan in 1989 before they went their separate ways, rekindling their romance in 2015. His partner - who had Lucy with Mark Knight - shared the same statement on her own Instagram account. She also wrote: "I love you." It is currently unknown how Lucy-Bleu died. Hours before making the sad announcement, the 58-year-old musician had announced he was pulling out of some forthcoming concerts. A message shared on social media stated: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the S.E.R.P.E.N.T tour regrettably has to cancel the below performances. Refunds will be available at points of purchase. "The S.E.R.P.E.N.T tour will resume in Toronto on July 28, 2024 at Budweiser Stage. We love our fans and apologize for any inconvenience this has caused." The cancelled dates include a show in Cincinnati on Monday (22.07.24), followed by dates in Interlochen, Huber Heights, and Windsor. Indias Bihar state has tremendous potential in apparel manufacturing and exports, according to Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) chairman Sudhir Sekhri, who recently told a textile investors meet in Patna that garment exports from the state saw a growth of 58.6 per cent, while the country registered a decline of 10.2 per cent in fiscal 2023-24. However, the share of Bihar in Indias total apparel exports was only 0.09 per cent, while earlier it was a mere 0.05 per cent, he noted. India's Bihar state has tremendous potential in apparel manufacturing and exports, AEPC chairman Sudhir Sekhri told a textile investors' meet in Patna. Availability of skilled and semi-skilled workers is also not a problem in the state, he said. However, the share of Bihar in India's total apparel exports was only 0.09 per cent in fiscal 2023-24, he noted. Praising the Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Policy (Textile and Leather Policy), 2022, Sekhri urged all industrialists participating in the conclave to explore investing in Bihar and make use of the facilitative policies and supportive business ecosystem. The policy focuses on disbursement of subsidies and incentives on time and single window clearance, he was quoted as saying by a release by APEC, which organised the conclave. Moreover, as the apparel industries in other Indian states employ a large number of skilled and semi-skilled migrant workers from Bihar, local availability of such workers will lead to saving costs in the manufacturing process, he observed. Indian textiles minister Giriraj Singh urged the state government to come up with a revenue sharing model for a few centres and develop it to saturation focusing on one cluster at a time. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) World cotton trade is projected to expand steadily over the next decade by 2.1 per cent per annum (p.a.) and reach 12.4 million tonnes (Mt) in 2033, according to the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033 report. The increase reflects the substantial growth in mill use in Asian countries, particularly Vietnam and Bangladesh, which source virtually all their cotton from imports to support their growing domestic textiles sector, the report, released recently by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, said. World cotton trade is projected to expand steadily over the next decade by 2.1 per cent per annum (p.a.) and reach 12.4 Mt in 2033, an OECD-FAO report said. The rise reflects the substantial growth in mill use in Asian countries, particularly Vietnam and Bangladesh. By 2033, raw cotton imports are projected to rise by 0.7 per cent p.a., reaching 2.8 Mt. Moreover, the stagnant production growth rate in China is anticipated to drive an increase in lint imports over the next decade to fulfil the demand of local mills and replenish state reserves. By 2033, raw cotton imports are projected to increase by 0.7 per cent p.a., reaching 2.8 Mt, which remains well below the over-3-per cent growth projected in Vietnam and Bangladesh, the report said. The United States will remain the worlds largest exporter throughout the outlook period. Exports from that country have stabilised in recent years, recovering from the lows in 2015. It is projected that its share of world cotton trade will reach 31 per cent in 2033 (around 3.9 Mt). Despite the major changes in the Chinese textile industry, the United States remains its main trade partner. Brazilian cotton exports are expected to grow strongly over the next decade, consolidating the countrys position as the second largest exporter by 2033, with Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole following behind. The region accounts for around 16 per cent of global cotton exports. Sub-Saharan African exports are projected to continue growing at around 0.7 per cent p.a. in the coming decade, with South and Southeast Asia being the major export destinations. However, the textile and apparel industry is expanding in countries such as Ethiopia, where the textile and clothing sector primarily relies on cotton. In the long run, the increase in mill use may affect the net export status of Sub-Saharan Africa, the report noted. International cotton prices in real terms are projected to trend slightly downward in the medium term. Prices will continue to be influenced by competition from man-made fibres along with changes in consumers preferences. From the early 1970s, when polyester became price-competitive, cotton prices tended to follow polyester prices. For example, cotton prices were only 6 per cent above polyester staple fibre prices between 1972 and 2009. Since 2010, however, cotton prices have been on average around 70 per cent above the polyester price, in nominal terms. It is assumed that the relative price competitiveness between these two types of fibre will not change drastically over the projection period, the report added. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Randeep Hooda emerged victorious in the falsely alleged lawsuit for illegal construction in Kanha National Park. The actor and wildlife conservationist who is acknowledged by the UN as well as Indian Government witnessed relief from MP High Court, Jabalpur as the actor is granted the prayer for initiation of joint spot inspection enquiry for the allegation of illegal construction on the land owned by Hooda in Kanha National Park. Post the success of his latest film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, actor-director and wildlife conservationist, Randeep fulfilled his dream of purchasing a property near a forest by investing in a piece of land next to a jungle in Madhya Pradesh adjoining the Kanha National Park. Randeeps lawyer, Vineet Dhanda further shares, It is a victory for us as the court has not only directed a re-inspection of the case, but also allowed us to raise concerns of the inspection post the new results. When the new report comes in, it would be clear there had been no construction on Shri Randeep Hoodas land, after which we would upheld our defamation case for wrongfully accusing our client. Additionally, Hoodas legal team has issued a defamation notice of Rs. 80 crores against the SDM for false and defamatory accusations. Nick Mercier moves his tent from an encampment on Jessie and Sixth streets in San Francisco during a sweep in November. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle 2023 Regarding Mayor Breed says very aggressive sweep of S.F. homeless encampments will launch in August (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, July 18): There is nothing like a heated political campaign to incentivize politicians to roll out tough-sounding but counterproductive proposals. The majority of people living on the street have suffered significant trauma. This does not absolve them of responsibility but lays bare the ineffectiveness of the threat of arrest. We will not get people off the street by imposing yet deeper trauma on them. Lauras Law, which empowers courts to order people who are homeless and suffering from serious mental illness into treatment, has been successfully operating in California for years. While the program can rely on court orders, over 70% of the people referred to the program voluntarily accept treatment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad These successes are due to the diligent, patient and compassionate approach adopted by outreach workers. We all want to house homeless people. It is the height of madness to prefer punitive, ineffectual and expensive approaches when we have known effective alternatives. Christopher Weare, San Francisco Musk is right to leave Regarding Elon Musk: X headquarters will move from S.F. to Austin, Texas (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, July 16): I understand why Elon Musk is livid about Californias Democratic-led Legislature banning teachers from notifying parents when their child requests to use different pronouns, a new name or identify as transgender. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Musk has a transgender child, and even though I am a Democrat and have no children, I think that this legislation is wrong, and I do not blame Musk for packing up and leaving California. Parents are the primary people in every childs life. They are the people who love and have the best interest of their child at heart. They have a right to know what is happening with their child at school. This kind of legislation makes me want to change my political party from Democrat to Independent. Gloria Judd, San Francisco Bullies are poor leaders Regarding What the country needs (Letters to the Editor, July 16): John Mauck asserts that our country would benefit from choosing a bully for a leader. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But I believe most would agree that bullies are poor role models and, while they may appear to be strong, they often exhibit behaviors that have significant negative impacts on an organization or a country, particularly one already riven with divisiveness. Bullies use intimidation as a means of dominating others. They do this by using insulting, demeaning and denigrating language, and when this doesnt have the desired effect, by resorting to threats of violence and even to violence itself, although often enacted by proxy. Bullies not uncommonly target others who are respected for their high competence or creativity in the community and who may hold a more optimistic worldview, aiming to undermine the targets confidence and reputation. We Americans should think twice before voting for a bully to lead us, even one some might consider our bully. Rob Formanek, Orinda Advertisement Article continues below this ad Alcatraz worth fixing Regarding Tear down the Rock (Letters to the Editor, July 19): I would like to correct Elliot Halperns assumption that the city of San Francisco is spending $48 million to repair Alcatraz. Alcatraz is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is under the aegis of the U.S. National Park Service, a federal agency so San Francisco is not funding the project. 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 Alcatraz is the most visited location in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area with 1.4 million visitors a year, and it generates revenue for San Francisco and the Bay Area through the sales taxes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On the surface, $48 million sounds like a waste of money, but the Park Service knows what is is doing by investing in one of its most popular attractions. Apollo Therapeutics will inject capital and expertise into pipeline of potentially lifesaving medicines through an agreement with the University of Oxford. Collaboration highlights a shared strategic intent to develop new therapeutics based on breakthroughs in biology and basic medical research at the University of Oxford. The University of Oxford ("Oxford"), one of the world's leading research institutions and Apollo Therapeutics ("Apollo"), a portfolio biopharmaceutical company, announce the signing of a drug discovery and development collaboration aimed at translating breakthroughs made by biomedical researchers at Oxford. Under the agreement, Apollo will identify and assess novel, validated therapeutic targets from Oxford's researchers for their potential to become important new medicines. Whilst Oxford's research teams will gain access to therapeutic development expertise and programme funding from Apollo. This will provide more access to clinical trials for patients and deliver faster routes to market for new medicines arising from Oxford's researchers. The collaboration is driven by the quality of science and the burgeoning innovation environment at Oxford that has elicited a critical mass of early drug development translational research programmes. Apollo's drug discovery experts will look for the potential to transform the standard of care globally by supporting the development of new medicines across areas such as oncology and immunological and inflammatory disorders. Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, Department for Science, Innovation Technology, said: "We want to harness life sciences to transform the UK's healthcare and drive economic growth. Together, Apollo and Oxford University could deliver new medicines to help us tackle cancer, autoimmune disease, and more, improving and saving thousands of lives." "The life sciences sector is open for business under this Government. We know that the best and boldest breakthroughs happen when industry and academia join forces, backed by government, and this partnership between Apollo and Oxford is proof of exactly what can be unlocked, when we open the doors to collaboration." Professor Chas Bountra, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation at the University of Oxford, said: "My amazing colleagues at Oxford have numerous cutting-edge research programmes for producing novel therapeutics for patients. Apollo Therapeutics has assembled a world leading team of drug discovery and development experts. Together we are going to transform the lives of millions of patients. I am immensely excited about this collaboration." This latest collaboration, Apollo's sixth agreement with a university or academic research centre, will bring the in-house expertise and resources of Apollo to Oxford's world class researchers from across the university. It will further bolster Apollo's scalable R&D platform for the evergreen discovery and development of new medicines. Dr. Richard Mason, Chief Executive Officer of Apollo Therapeutics, said: "At Apollo Therapeutics we are ambitious in our mission to translate important new research discoveries into valuable new drugs. We are therefore delighted to be collaborating with the University of Oxford, a university that is consistently at the top of global rankings for scientific research and innovation. We are now working together with six of the world's top universities and research centres to transform the standard of care in major commercial markets based on breakthroughs in biology and basic medical research made by scientists at these institutions." The University of Oxford joins Apollo's other five world-class research institutions: the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London, King's College London and the Institute of Cancer Research. Dr. Mairi Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford University Innovation, said: "We're keen to provide our academic researchers with multiple avenues to realise the full potential of their cutting-edge research as quickly as possible. If we boost the funding and expertise provided to very early phase drug development programmes this will hasten their progress towards becoming medicines with the potential to licence to industry or become spinout companies. With the support of the research commercialisation team at Oxford University Innovation and our investment partners, we want to speed up the development of more life-saving medicines to help patients most in need." About University of Oxford Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the eighth year running, and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer. Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions. Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past five years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing 15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full time jobs. About Oxford University Innovation Oxford University Innovation (OUI) is the research commercialisation office of the University of Oxford, recognised worldwide for its ability to engage academic prowess through licensing, catalyse innovative solutions through consulting services, and support the creation of spinouts, start-ups, and social ventures. OUI is dedicated to showcasing the impact of these transformative technologies on the global stage, bridging the realms of academia and the commercial world, thereby weaving a future where knowledge, innovation and partnership drive forward solutions to global challenges. Visit: https://innovation.ox.ac.uk/innovation-news/news/ About Apollo Therapeutics Apollo Therapeutics is a portfolio biopharmaceutical company based in the UK and USA. Apollo translates breakthroughs in biology and basic medical research into innovative new medicines. With over 20 active therapeutic programmes, five of which are in development, the company is building a large, diversified portfolio of novel therapeutics with uncorrelated risk. Apollo has a scalable R&D platform enabled by an unprecedented level of access to breakthroughs in biology and basic medical research made at six of the world's leading universities and research institutes. The company also in-licenses or acquires clinical-stage programmes where it has unique insights and synergies. Backed by leading specialist health care investors, Apollo has raised a total of over $450m since its inception. Visit www.apollotx.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240721769962/en/ Contacts: Apollo Therapeutics Jamie Heath, Chief Financial Officer Jamie.Heath@apollotx.com Kay Penicud PhD, Vice President and Head of Research Partnerships kay.penicud@apollotx.com Apollo Therapeutics Media Enquiries Ben Atwell Simon Conway Alex Davis UK Jim Polson Matt Ventimiglia US FTI Consulting: ApolloTherapeutics@fticonsulting.com +44 (0) 20 3727 1000 UK +1 (212) 850 2654 US Oxford University Innovation Andrea Stewart, Head of Communications Marketing andrea.stewart@innovation.ox.ac.uk +44 7443 239245 Oxford University Innovation Media Desk Sodali: Maria Sizyakova and Ben Glaze oui@sodali.com LONDON, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vedanta Resources Holdings Limited ("VRHL" or "Vedanta Holdings" or "Vedanta"), the diversified global mining, metals, natural resources, energy, and technology conglomerate today confirmed that it has paid USD 245.75 million in line with its commitment under the KCM scheme of arrangement. This paves the way for imminent reinstatement of the Board of Directors of KCM and the return of full management control to Vedanta, which is necessary before Vedanta ramps up production and unlocks KCM's full potential. With high-grade Copper deposits in excess of 2.4%, KCM is one of the largest deposits of high-grade copper globally. With total of 412kt of contained Cobalt Reserves and Resources, KCM also has the potential to sit amongst the top 5 cobalt producers globally. Vedanta has plans in place not only to ramp up KCM copper production to 300ktpa, but also raise Cobalt from 1ktpa to 6ktpa. Reinforcing Vedanta's commitment to KCM and to Zambia, Chris Griffith, CEO, Vedanta Base Metals said: "We are pleased to confirm transfer of funds under the KCM scheme of arrangement. Vedanta is committed to Zambia and Zambian people. We are confident that with full support of the government and other key stakeholders, we will soon be able to help KCM turnaround and reach its full potential, both as a world-class Copper and Cobalt asset that is well equipped with a smelter and a robust Tailings Leaching Plant, and as a growth engine for the socio-economic development of the Zambian nation." Also speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Vedanta Group, Anil Agarwal shared, "I am delighted that Konkola Copper Mines has returned to Vedanta fold. We have enjoyed a long history with this proud African nation and its people, and I look forward to forging even stronger ties with Zambia in the decades to come. "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. We expect KCM to help serve some of this demand and strengthen economic and trade ties between India and Zambia." Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2003146/4158084/Vedanta_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vedanta-regains-control-of-konkola-copper-mines-in-zambia-302202138.html DUBAI, UAE, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wego, the number 1 travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), announced partnership with Visit Valencia with the support of Tourspain, to enhance the city's visibility as a premier travel destination. Wego will utilize its comprehensive platform to highlight Valencia's distinct attractions and experiences. From its rich historical landmarks and vibrant markets to its beautiful beaches and famous festivals, Valencia caters to every kind of traveler. Together with Valencia Tourism, Wego will develop tailored marketing campaigns, captivating content, and great travel options designed to draw a wide variety of travelers to discover the wonders of Valencia. "We are excited to join forces with Visit Valencia to introduce the charm and vibrancy of Valencia to our users," said Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Business Officer at Wego. "This partnership is set to boost tourism in Valencia and offer our users remarkable travel experiences. Valencia is a city that seamlessly blends historical richness with contemporary allure, and we look forward to showcasing its diverse attractions on our platform." Valencia, the third-largest city in Spain, is known for its stunning mix of old and new, where ancient buildings stand alongside modern architectural marvels. The city is famous for its festivals, such as Las Fallas, and its delicious cuisine, including the iconic paella. Visitors can enjoy a range of activities, from exploring the historic old town to relaxing on the Mediterranean coast. Visit Valencia Vice Deputy Director, Miguel Angel Perez, said: "We are delighted to kick off this campaign with Wego and the suppport of Tourspain to promote Valencia, the European Green Capital. This campaign will not only showcase our Arab heritage but also invite travelers to experience the unique blend of tradition and innovation that defines our city. We look forward to welcoming travelers to explore all that our city has to offer." Summer in Valencia is synonymous with outdoor experiences - whether lounging on the sun-kissed beaches of Malvarrosa or savoring traditional paella at a quaint seaside tavern. Valencia boasts a natural bounty that beckons adventurers. About Wego Wego is the number 1 travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It provides award-winning travel search websites and top-ranked mobile apps for travelers living in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions. Wego harnesses powerful yet simple to use technology that automates the process of searching and comparing results from hundreds of airlines, hotels, and online travel agency websites. Wego presents an unbiased comparison of all travel products and prices offered in the marketplace by merchants, both local and global, and enables shoppers to quickly find the best deal and place to book whether it is from an airline or hotel directly or with a third-party aggregator website. The company was founded in 2005 and is dual headquartered in Dubai and Singapore with regional operations in Bangalore, Riyadh, Cairo, Lahore, and Kuala Lumpur. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2464371/Wego.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/wego-announces-partnership-with-visit-valencia-to-promote-the-spanish-city-as-a-premier-travel-destination-302200555.html STOCKHOLM, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ASSA ABLOY has signed an agreement to acquire SKIDATA, an international leading provider of access management solutions. "I am very pleased to welcome the SKIDATA team into the ASSA ABLOY Group. This acquisition delivers on our strategy to grow our business in mature markets through adding complementary products and solutions to our core business," says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. "SKIDATA's attractive product portfolio and strong performance in access solutions will enhance and complement our current offering," says Massimo Grassi, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of Entrance Systems Division. "Its commitment to secure, reliable access solutions and excellent customer service aligns perfectly with our values, and I'm convinced that together, we will continue our successful journey." SKIDATA was founded in 1977 and is part of the Public Access division of Swiss listed Kudelski Group (SWX: KUD) and has some 1,280 employees. SKIDATA is headquartered in Salzburg, Austria and will be part of the Business Segment Pedestrian within the Entrance Systems Division. Sales for 2023 amounted to about MEUR 305 (approx. MSEK 3,500). The acquisition will initially have a small dilutive effect to EPS. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2024. For more information, please contact: Nico Delvaux, President and CEO, tel. no: +46 8 506 485 82 Erik Pieder, CFO and Executive Vice President, tel. no: +46 8 506 485 72 Bjorn Tibell, Head of Investor Relations, tel. no: +46 70 275 67 68, e-mail: bjorn.tibell@assaabloy.com About ASSA ABLOY The ASSA ABLOY Group is the global leader in access solutions. The Group operates worldwide with 61,000 employees and sales of SEK 141 billion. The Group has leading positions in areas such as efficient door openings, trusted identities and entrance automation. ASSA ABLOY's innovations enable safe, secure and convenient access to physical and digital places. Every day, we help billions of people experience a more open world. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/r/assa-abloy-to-acquire-skidata,c4017171 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/7333/4017171/2922804.pdf Press release (PDF) https://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/i/skidata-barrierless-solution-sashboard-gate-plate-gate-,c3321081 Skidata Barrierless Solution Sashboard Gate Plate Gate https://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/i/skidata-stadium-apple-pay-munich,c3321080 Skidata Stadium Apple Pay Munich View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/assa-abloy-to-acquire-skidata-302202403.html NOX-E36 presents promising opportunity for development in eye diseases with a high need for well-tolerated therapies with anti-fibrotic effect Anti-fibrotic mode of action of NOX-E36 was demonstrated in preclinical eye disease model performed by leading Singapore Eye Research Institute Preclinical, clinical data and available drug supply lay optimal framework for rapid path to Phase 2 clinical proof-of-concept TME Pharma plans to enable separate corporate entity focused on NOX-E36 in ophthalmology to monetize the program and mobilize private investor support TME Pharma N.V. (Euronext Growth Paris: ALTME), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for treatment of cancer by targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME), announces its plan to externalize and monetize the company's second clinical stage asset NOX-E36 an L-stereoisomer RNA aptamer inhibiting the CCL2 chemokine. This decision leverages the compound's potential, as shown by clinical and preclinical data, to safely address significant unmet medical needs in ophthalmic diseases impacted by fibrosis. The presence of the target of NOX-E36, CCL2, has been shown to predict early failure of glaucoma surgical intervention in patients and inhibition of the pathway targeted by NOX-E36 in preclinical models of glaucoma surgery prevents fibrosis thereby prolonging the success of the intervention1. NOX-E36 has already been administered to 175 clinical trial participants with an excellent safety and tolerability profile and showing activity on its target, already derisking a number of steps in early clinical development. Fibrosis is a significant cause of treatment failure or increased severity in many clinically important eye diseases2 with unmet needs such as diabetic retinopathy (9.6 million cases in the US, of which 1.84 million vision-threatening3), age-related macular degeneration (20 million cases in the US, of which 1.5 million vision-threatening4), and primary open angle glaucoma (>3 million cases in the US5 Click here to read the full press release 1 Chong (2017) Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 58:3432 Chong (2010) Ophthalmology 117:2353 2 Sorenson (2024) Frontiers in Ophthalmology 2024 Vol. 4 3 Lundeen (2023) JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023;141(8):747-754 4 Rein (2022) JAMA Ophthalmol. 2022;140(12):1202-1208 5 US National Eye Institute Glaucoma Tables, Link View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240721360607/en/ Contacts: For more information, please contact: TME Pharma N.V. Aram Mangasarian, Ph.D., CEO Tel. +49 (0) 30 16637082 0 investors@tmepharma.com Investor and Media Relations: NewCap Arthur Rouille Tel. +33 (0) 1 44 71 00 15 arouille@newcap.fr San Francisco mayoral candidate Ellen Lee Zhou is one of two plaintiffs in a suit against several guaranteed income programs in S.F. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle Three years ago, San Francisco launched an experiment to give 150 pregnant Black and Pacific Islander women $1,000 a month, no strings attached, for the duration of their pregnancy and six months after the birth. Half of all maternal deaths in San Francisco each year are Black women, even though they make up only 4% of births. The highest rate of infant deaths more than 15% are Black babies, while 10% are Pacific Islander American. San Franciscos program was a desperate attempt to bridge these health disparities. Now, that effort is almost certainly about to come to a screeching halt. And another guaranteed income program to assist San Franciscos transgender residents who are 18 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population already has been shut down. Participants were only given a months notice before being cut off. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This was not for lack of local support. When the data shows Black expectant mothers have far worse health outcomes or trans people are more likely to end up homeless, we know we can and should invest in these areas to make real change, Mayor London Breed said in a statement provided to me. Personally, Ive seen firsthand how targeted programs like this can transform lives. Its not just good for the individuals, but for our entire city. So, how could two successful programs, lauded by Breed as good-faith efforts to address systemic inequities, be on deaths door? Put simply: right-wing organizations are targeting local California governments, limiting their ability to help people as they see fit. And theyre winning. A lawsuit filed in November claimed that because San Franciscos programs prioritize benefits for people based on gender, race and ethnicity, their use of public funds is discriminatory. The suit was filed by the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation on behalf of two plaintiffs one of whom is San Francisco mayoral candidate Ellen Zhou. When I dug into the small organization behind the suit, and the Dallas-based lawyers it retained, I found connections to right-wing conspiracy theorists, former California politicians and ties to the Heritage Foundation, which created Project 2025 the radical Republican blueprint for remaking the government if Donald Trump is reelected president. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thats some powerful political backing to take on small San Francisco pilot projects. But thanks to the Supreme Courts affirmative action ruling last year that ended race-based preferences in college admissions, experts tell me lawsuits like this one are a legal slam dunk. And the shuttering of small guaranteed income programs is only the beginning. The major mission is to ensure that California public agencies treat people fairly and equally, regardless of our race, ethnicity, and other protected classes, Frank Xu, president of the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation, told me over Zoom. Racial preferential policies including critical race theory, and diversity, equity inclusion are lowering standards for our next generation. The foundation emerged in 2020 after California voters overwhelmingly rejected a renewal of the states ability to consider race and gender as a factor in government hiring and contracting, and in public university admissions. Leveraging this win and the subsequent Supreme Court ruling, Californians for Equal Rights filed three active lawsuits: against San Franciscos guaranteed income programs, a housing assistance program in San Diego and a policy in Alameda County that requires a share of public construction contracts go to minority- and women-owned businesses. Californians for Equal Rights lists a staff of seven on its website and an impressive array of advisers. Well-known figures include James Lindsay, an author and right-wing conspiracy theorist; former South Bay U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell; and Michael Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Xu maintains Californians for Equal Rights is a grassroots organization that relies on small donations. Our board members are the big donors, he said. According to its tax filings, the foundation received nearly $300,000 in donations in 2022, approximately half of which went to salaries. In the suit against San Francisco, it retained the American Civil Rights Project to fight its case, which, among other things, has filed numerous amicus briefs opposing trans rights across the country. Armed with powerful supporters and legal momentum, we can expect more lawsuits from Californians for Equal Rights. Statewide, more than 12,000 people receive money through guaranteed income programs. Gov. Gavin Newsom has been an ardent supporter. Forty-four mayors in California joined a network advocating for an income floor. More than 70% of voters in the state support a federal guaranteed income program to provide hundreds of dollars a month to those living below their countys median income, according to a poll from earlier this year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Maile Chand of the Abundant Birth Project enjoys a game of chase with her daughter on a roof deck at their apartment building in San Francisco. The project is one of several guaranteed income programs named in the lawsuit. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle For these programs to survive legal challenges, however, race, ethnicity and gender cannot be a factor. We believe that the government should not be picking winners and losers on the basis of group characteristics, Wenyuan Wu, executive director of Californians for Equal Rights, told me. While acknowledging that racism is prevalent, she views these policies as perpetuating the issue. We have to make sure that the medicine is not worse than the disease. It boils down to almost a metaphysical question: Can we fight discrimination with discrimination? Taken at face value, its a compelling argument. However, one program named in its suit, the Guaranteed Income Program for Artists, doesnt prioritize participants based on race, ethnicity or gender. Another, which gives money to Black young adults, is a research project that isnt funded by the city. To me, this implies Californians for Equal Rights has a bigger agenda, one that opposes allowing Democratic cities and their residents to help people as they see fit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Beyond that, the case highlights how right-wing victories at the federal level have started to impact local decision-making. Project 2025 states, The casual acceptance and rapid spread of racist policymaking in the federal government must be forcefully opposed and reversed. 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 Theres no way that forceful opposition will be targeted only at the federal government; an infringement on the ability of local jurisdictions to help those in need is coming down the pipeline. Operating income - up 58 per cent - $207.6m Pre-tax profits - up 158 per cent - $151.5m Trade Finance income - up 69 per cent - $106.1m Asset Management income - up 28 per cent - $10.4m Commercial Banking customer deposits - $1.451bn - up 16 per cent -innovative financial solutions from dynamic customer relationships - LONDON, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As it prepares to host its' annual Access Bank Polo Day at Guards Polo Club Windsor on Saturday 20 July The Access Bank UK Limited has posted annual results that demonstrate another year of outstanding international growth. It was notable for the rapid progress the Bank made in carrying out its mandate to expand Access Bank's international operations in Europe - London, France, Malta and Asia - Hong Kong as well as Dubai. Subject to the necessary approvals from the relevant financial and regulatory authorities, the Bank hopes to make further announcements on its international expansion. Corporate Responsibility and exemplary Corporate Governance play a key role in the growth of the Bank. The Polo day is the culmination of a year long programme, part of its fund raising in partnership with UNICEF for education projects in northern Nigeria in particular. Since the UNICEF/Access Bank initiative was started it has rebuilt schools in Kaduna and, kept more than 8000 students in continuous education. At the same time new solar powered school blocks and a computer literacy building all in a more secure and friendly school environment have been developed. The communities surrounding the schools are being supported with bore-holes for water, and sewing and grinding machines to secure employment and stimulate economic and social development. At the 2023 Access Polo Challenge over a million dollars was raised to support the Access- UNICEF programme. According to Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of The Access Bank UK Limited Jamie Simmonds, "We are a Bank where our growth is fuelled by the strength of customer relationships. It enables us to develop innovative products and financial solutions with, rather than just for, our customers.We invest significantly in attracting, retaining and developing professional staff in order to ensure customers always deal with an expert who is familiar with their business and personal financial needs, it is a modern interpretation of relationship management. External accolades are a valuable endorsement of our commitment to be the world's most respected African Bank. We are proud that investors in people have re-accredited us Platinum status and winning the 'Best African Trade Finance Bank ' from International Finance and Best 'Africa Trade Finance Bank' from Capital Finance International CFI for the sixth and the eighth consecutive year." The Access Bank UK Limited was established, and is regulated in the in the UK, in 2008 to provide Trade Finance, Asset Management and Commercial Banking services for Access Bank Group's dealings in OECD markets. The Access Bank UK Limited's achievements owe a great deal to the strong partnership that it has with its' parent company and its joint support of the Access Bank Group Polo day. The annual event celebrates reaching out to and highlighting the plight of vulnerable children and orphans and internationally displaced persons. In partnership with 5th Chukker and based in Kaduna, Nigeria. The tournament is the biggest charity polo tournament in Africa and generates funds and stimulates support for the work of the UNICEF/Access Bank initiative across Africa. At the launch of the recent rights issue in Lagos, Roosevelt Ogbonna Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank PLC commented, "The Access Bank UK Limited is well positioned to become one of the top 20 banks in the UK. The rights issue is designed to strengthen the Group's financial footing and support on going working capital needs including organic growth funding for its banking and non banking subsidiaries. Putting these funds to use we aim to catalyse growth across several sectors, stimulate business development, create jobs and deepen financial inclusion, supporting SMEs particularly underserved segments such as women and young entrepreneurs. All part of our mission, as is our UNICEF partnership to drive progress and development throughout the continent and beyond." Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2465751/Access_Bank_Challenge_Cup.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-access-bank-uk-limited--delivering-more-than-international-business-growth-302202343.html 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! Autonomous aircraft and vertiport infrastructure partners to identify infrastructure network ahead of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the US, and Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports), the leader in vertiport infrastructure for the AAM industry, are expanding their partnership to identify an Entry-into-Service (EIS) network for Wisk's autonomous Generation 6 aircraft in the South East Queensland (SEQ) region of Australia. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240722454370/en/ Wisk and Skyports expand partnership to identify an Entry-into-Service network in SEQ, Australia (Graphic: Business Wire) The latest agreement builds on an existing partnership between Wisk and Skyports announced in 2022, which marked the first collaboration between a vertiport developer-operator and an autonomous eVTOL developer. The new partnership furthers Wisk's work with the Council of Mayors (SEQ), which began in 2022 to work together to introduce safe, sustainable, and scalable, autonomous air taxi service to South East Queensland. As part of the new agreement, Wisk and Skyports will collaborate to determine locations for a viable vertiport network for SEQ. SEQ is home to 4 million people and over the next 20 years the region will be home to 6 million people. The region is undergoing rapid and extensive development ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Wisk and Skyports' partnership will identify opportunities for the safe development and scale-up of AAM services to complement other transport investments, support tourism, and connect communities across the region. "Skyports has already been a strong partner to Wisk, and we are proud to build on the work we're doing already, this time in Australia," said Brian Yutko, Wisk CEO. "Wisk is committed to bringing safe, emissions-free aviation to Queensland, and this partnership will get us one step closer to making our goal a reality." Working collaboratively, Wisk and Skyports will undertake a complex analysis of regional travel patterns, identify candidate vertiport sites, conduct feasibility studies, and engage with prospective landlords and nearby communities. This last step is vital to the successful introduction of Wisk's urban air taxi service. The ultimate goal of this project is the development of a thorough business case to support the development of the necessary vertiport infrastructure. Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports, said, "We're pleased to publicly announce the work we are undertaking with Wisk to facilitate the launch of AAM services on Australia's eastern coast. This collaboration will leverage our combined expertise to develop a robust, scalable infrastructure network to enable safe, efficient air taxi services for communities and visitors across the South East Queensland region." Scott Smith, CEO of Council of Mayors (SEQ) said, "It's great to see South East Queensland continue to attract innovative technologies and investment. The Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector is an exciting new development for South East Queensland and is expected to contribute over $66 billion to the Australian Economy, or 3.1% of national GDP, by 2040. We're excited to see this evolving industry bring high-value local jobs to SEQ and support improved services like medical and tourism. To secure our place as a global destination, we must be at the forefront of adopting emerging technologies." ABOUT WISK Wisk is an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company dedicated to delivering safe, everyday flight for everyone. Wisk's self-flying, eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxi will make it possible for passengers to skip the traffic and get to their destination faster. Wisk is a fully-owned Boeing subsidiary and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with locations around the world. With over a decade of experience and over 1750+ test flights, Wisk is shaping the future of daily commutes and urban travel, safely and sustainably. Learn more about Wisk here. ABOUT SKYPORTS Skyports Infrastructure is the leading enabler of advanced air mobility (AAM), providing the critical link between the ground and the sky. The company designs, builds and operates take-off and landing infrastructure for air taxis, and partners with world-class electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) passenger and cargo vehicle manufacturers around the world to enable safe, sustainable and efficient flight operations within urban and suburban environments. Find out more at: www.skyports.net ABOUT COUNCIL OF MAYORS (SEQ) The Council of Mayors (SEQ) represents 11 local governments across South East Queensland. It is now Australia's largest regional local government advocacy organisation, representing one in seven Australians who call SEQ home. Together we strive to consistently deliver better regional funding, policy and collaborative outcomes for the communities of South East Queensland. Find out more: https://seqmayors.qld.gov.au/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240722454370/en/ Contacts: MEDIA CONTACT Carrie Bennett Media@wisk.aero DUBAI, UAE, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library is set to host the first edition of the Dubai International Library Conference (DILC) 2024, one of the most prominent and prestigious events of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, under the slogan "Our Libraries, Past, Present and Future," from 15-17 November 2024, with the participation of more than 25 countries and more than 60 speakers from around the world. The conference, which is considered the most prominent event at the level of local and international conferences and events in the public library sector, attracts an elite group of specialists, professionals and experts from all over the world, with the aim of exchanging ideas and experiences, and learning about the latest practices in the library and information sector. Among the most prominent names participating in the conference are Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO of CILIP, Sharon Memis, Secretary General of IFLA, Leslie Burger, Interim Executive Director at ALA, Mohsin Al Musawi, from Columbia University, Dr Sami Mobayed, Historian at the Royal Historical Society in London, Saif Aljabri, Omani Library Association and Chair of IFLA MENA, Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Library of Alexandria, Dr. Faiza Adeeb Al- Bayati, President of the Iraqi Library, Information and Documentation Specialists Association, Dr. Heba Ismail, Vice President of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information, and Constantia Constantinou, Deputy Dean and Director of Libraries at the University of Pennsylvania. DILC 2024 will feature more than 45 distinguished panel discussions, workshops, lectures, and round table interactive talks, highlighting the preservation and restoration of archives, new developments in library systems and programs, intellectual property, copyright laws, artificial intelligence, sustainable libraries, and the role of philanthropy in ensuring access to books and information. The conference highlights the importance of libraries and their role in achieving knowledge exchange within a global framework, in addition to celebrating libraries as models of engineering and architectural masterpieces, and their cultural status. It also focuses on the diversity of knowledge offered by international libraries and their unique specialisations. Experts and professionals from various fields and from all over the world are set to define and chart the future of libraries and highlight the latest technological development libraries are adopting including AI and its impact on the industry. Access to the event is complimentary and it is necessary to register as a delegate, to receive the necessary conference badge. More about the agenda and the speakers can be found here: https://s1684998685.hs.eloqua.com/DILC2024ENG Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2463463/Mohammed_bin_Rashid_Library.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mohammed-bin-rashid-library-calls-all-libraries-experts-to-join-the-first-dubai-international-library-conference-2024-from-15-17-november-2024-302199408.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 22, 2024) - Silver Elephant Mining Corp. (TSX: ELEF) (OTC Pink: SILEF) (FSE: 1P2) ("Silver Elephant" or the "Company") is pleased to announce diamond drill results from the Paca deposit ("Paca") within its 100%-controlled Pulacayo-Paca silver project in the Potosi department in Bolivia. Further to the Company's news release dated June 12, 2024, a total of 28 holes were drilled in the Paca north area totaling 1,458 meters. The assays for 13 holes (7 exploration, 6 infill) have been received and are reported below. The remainder of the assays are expected in early August. Notable results from the 7 exploration holes include PC24-18 which intercepted 39.9 meters of 159 g/t silver from surface, including 3.0 meters of 583.5 g/t silver and PC24-23 which intercepted 23.1 meters of 138 g/t silver from surface, including 2.7 meters of 360 g/t silver. Both PC24-18 and PC24-23 were drilled in the south west of the Paca north area. This drill program was paid for by Andean Precious Metals Corp. ("Andean"). Pursuant to the sales and purchase agreement and master services agreement detailed in the news release dated September 12, 2023 (the "Sales and Purchase Agreement"), Silver Elephant plans to sell and deliver up to 800,000 tonnes of Paca oxide materials to Andean for a total of between US$5 million and US$7 million depending on the silver price. At the current silver price and production run rate, the Company expects to receive US$2.5 million before January 31, 2025. Andean has also agreed to reimburse Silver Elephant for operating expenses under the Sales and Purchase Agreement. John Lee, CEO of Silver Elephant comments: "All 7 exploration drill holes intercepted silver mineralization outside of Paca resource area. We are very excited about the potential addition to Paca oxide resource as any oxide sales exceeding 800,000 tonnes will be subject to a new off take agreement between Silver Elephant and Andean. In June, Silver Elephant delivered 29,270 tonnes of Paca oxide materials to Andean." EXPANSION DRILLING HOLE ID From To Length True Width (m) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) PC24-09 0 5 5 3.54 59 0.16 0.15 Incl. 0 2 2 1.41 97 0.31 0.13 Incl. 0 1 1 0.71 101 0.24 0.14 PC24-14 0 17.8 17.8 12.59 60 0.7 0.18 Incl. 8.8 17.8 9 6.36 90 0.74 0.25 Incl. 16.3 17.8 1.5 1.06 185 0.58 0.33 PC24-18 0 39.9 39.9 28.21 157 0.5 0.2 Incl. 13 32.4 19.4 13.72 304 0.7 0.19 Incl. 15 27.9 12.9 9.12 391 0.7 0.16 Incl. 16.5 19.5 3 2.12 583.5 0.61 0.1 Incl. 59.4 61.9 2.5 1.77 43 0.44 0.42 PC24-20 0 18.4 18.4 18.40 51 0.2 0.13 Incl. 3.6 17.24 13.64 13.64 58 0.2 0.13 Incl. 8.6 13.82 5.22 5.22 65 0.13 0.14 PC24-21 12.84 18.83 5.99 5.99 30 0.13 0.13 PC24-22 10.5 25.22 14.72 14.72 45 0.51 0.39 Incl. 18.34 25.22 6.88 6.88 77 0.64 0.28 Incl. 22.45 25.22 2.77 2.77 116 0.63 0.29 Incl. 22.45 23.82 1.37 1.37 134 0.66 0.3 PC24-23 0 23.1 23.1 23.10 138 0.26 0.1 Incl. 7.84 20.1 12.26 12.26 223 0.28 0.08 Incl. 9.19 15.94 6.75 6.75 334 0.28 0.07 Incl. 13.24 15.94 2.7 2.70 360 0.32 0.06 INFILL DRILLING HOLE ID From To Length True Width (m) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) PC24-07 10.76 30.83 20.07 14.19 52 0.56 0.4 Incl. 17.8 27.35 9.55 6.75 82 0.91 0.23 Incl. 17.8 23.64 5.84 4.13 102 1.17 0.07 PC24-10 0 14.25 14.25 14.25 70 0.1 0.07 Incl. 0 5 5 5.00 162 0.13 0.05 Incl. 0 2 2 2.00 289 0.15 0.05 PC24-15 0 6 6 3.86 35 0.21 0.11 Incl. 23 33.75 10.75 6.91 47 0.47 0.12 Incl. 28.35 33.75 5.4 3.47 74 0.41 0.1 Incl. 31.05 32.4 1.35 0.87 133 0.52 0.09 PC24-16 0 22.33 22.33 22.33 44 0.27 0.13 Incl. 0 10.31 10.31 10.31 64 0.16 0.15 Incl. 1.22 2.45 1.23 1.23 93 0.14 0.24 PC24-17 0 28.6 28.6 28.60 42 0.47 0.19 Incl. 1.4 2.9 1.5 1.50 70 0.05 0.2 Incl. 10.4 11.8 1.4 1.40 60 0.69 0.12 PC24-19 6 23.96 17.96 17.96 34 0.36 0.16 Incl. 20.67 23.96 3.29 3.29 46 0.81 0.14 Incl. 23.62 23.96 0.34 0.34 63 0.27 0.13 The drill program confirmed a highly deformed, disseminated mineralization located within a north-south structural trend. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9008/217063_197dfa1014354bbd_001full.jpg Figure 2 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9008/217063_197dfa1014354bbd_002full.jpg The Paca project hosts a high-grade silver resource according to a technical report by Mercator Geological Services, dated effective October 13, 2020 titled "Mineral Resource Estimate Technical Report for the Pulacayo Project, Potosi Department Antonnio Quijarro Province Bolivia" (the "Technical Report"). The mineral resource estimate from the Technical Report is as follows: Paca Zone Category Tonnes Ag g/t Ag Moz Zn% Pb % Phase 1 Oxide In Pit Indicated 800,000 231 5.9 - - Inferred 235,000 159 1.2 - - Phase 2 Sulfide In Pit Indicated 1,810,000 256 14.9 1.22 1.22 Inferred 190,000 338 2.1 0.61 0.98 Oxide resources are based on a Pit-constrained estimate using a 90 g/t Ag cutoff. Sulfide resources are based on a pit-constrained estimate using a 200 g/t Ag Eq cutoff. Ag Eq = Silver Equivalent (Recovered) = (Ag g/t*89.2%)+((Pb%*(US$0.95/lb. Pb/14.583 Troy oz./lb./US$17 per Troy oz. Ag)*(10,000*91.9%))+((Zn%*(US$1.16/lb. Zn/14.583 Troy oz./lb./US$17 per Troy oz. Ag)*(10,000*82.9%)). Sulphide zone metal recoveries of 89.2% for Ag, 91.9% for Pb, and 82.9% for Zn were used in the Silver Equivalent (Recovered) equation and reflect metallurgical testing results disclosed previously for the Pulacayo Deposit. Matthew Harrington P. Geo. is the independent Qualified Person for the resource estimate. The Technical Report was effective October 13, 2020 and is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. This news release includes an estimate of mineral resources as disclosed in the Technical Report. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Quality Assurance and Quality Control Silver Elephant adopts industry-recognized best practices in its implementation of QA/QC methods. A geochemical standard control sample, one duplicate and one blank sample are inserted into the sample stream at every 25th sample. Samples are shipped to ALS Global Laboratories in Ururo, Bolivia for preparation. They are then shipped for analysis to ALS Global laboratories in Lima, Peru. Samples are analyzed using Intermediate Level Four Acid Digestion. Silver over limits ("ore grade") are analyzed using fire assay with a gravimetric finish. ALS Laboratories sample management system meets all the requirements of the International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015. All ALS geochemical hub laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for specific analytical procedures. All samples are taken from PQ or HQ diameter core were split in half by a diamond-blade masonry saw. One half of the core is submitted for laboratory analysis and the other half is preserved for reference at the Company's secured core facility. All the core is geotechnically analyzed, photographed and then logged by geologists prior to sampling. About Pulacayo-Paca The Paca project is part of the Company's Pulacayo-Paca project with a total indicated resource of 106.7 million oz silver, 1.4 billion pounds of zinc and 690 million pounds of lead published in the Technical Report and tabulated below. Silver Elephant and its subsidiaries have spent over $35 million on Pulacayo and Paca, which is considered to be an advanced project with over 96,000 meters of drilling, and a historic feasibility study. Combined Pulacayo and Paca Indicated Mineral Resources Tonnes Ag g/t Pb % Zn % Oxide 2,185,000 155 - - Sulfide 45,855,000 65 0.69 1.37 Combined Indicated Mineral Resources includes Pulacayo pit-constrained and out-of-pit plus only Paca pit-constrained resources. Oxide resources use a 50 g/t Ag cutoff. Sulfide resources use a 100 g/t Ag Eq cutoff. Ag Eq = Silver Equivalent (Recovered) = (Ag g/t*89.2%)+((Pb%*(US$0.95/lb. Pb/14.583 Troy oz./lb./US$17 per Troy oz. Ag)*(10,000*91.9%))+((Zn%*(US$1.16/lb. Zn/14.583 Troy oz./lb./US$17 per Troy oz. Ag)*(10,000*82.9%)). Sulphide zone metal recoveries of 89.2% for Ag, 91.9% for Pb, and 82.9% for Zn were used in the Silver Equivalent (Recovered) equation and reflect metallurgical testing results disclosed previously for the Pulacayo Deposit. Matthew Harrington P. Geo. is the independent Qualified Person for the resource estimate. A subsidiary of Silver Elephant entered into a Mining Production Contract ("MPC") with Corporacion Minera de Bolivia ("COMIBOL"), a branch of the Bolivian Ministry of Mining and Metallurgy on October 3, 2019. The MPC grants the Company's subsidiary an exclusive right to develop and mine at the Pulacayo and Paca concessions for up to 30 years. The Pulacayo-Paca Project is at the center of a major silver mining district in Bolivia and is within 250 km driving distance to the San Cristobal mine, the Cerro Rico mine, Pan American's San Vicente mine, Eloro's Iska Iska project, and New Pacific's Silver Sands project. Qualified Person The technical contents of this news release have been prepared under the supervision of Carlos Zamora, who is not independent of the Company in that he is employed by it. Mr. Zamora is a qualified person as defined by the guidelines of NI 43-101. About Silver Elephant Mining Corp. Silver Elephant is a silver mining company, with its flagship Pulacayo-Paca silver project in production since October 2023 in Bolivia. Further information on Silver Elephant can be found at www.silverelef.com. SILVER ELEPHANT MINING CORP. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "John Lee" Executive Chairman FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "may," "plans," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "projects" and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Such forward-looking information, which reflects management's expectations regarding Silver Elephant's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, is based on certain factors and assumptions and involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-Looking information in this news release includes the expected amount and timing for delivery of Product to Andean, and expected timing and benefits of phase 2 sulphide production for the Paca project. Forward-Looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as a guarantee of future performance, events or results, and may not be indicative of whether such events or results will actually be achieved. A number of risks and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results discussed in the forward-looking information, including but not limited to: changes in operating plans; ability to secure sufficient financing to advance the Company's project; conditions impacting the Company's ability to mine at the project, such as unfavourable weather conditions, development of a mine plan, maintaining existing permits and receiving any new permits required for the project, and other conditions impacting mining generally; maintaining cordial business relations with strategic partners and contractual counter-parties; meeting regulatory requirements and changes thereto; risks inherent to mineral resource estimation, including uncertainty as to whether mineral resources will be further developed into mineral reserves; political risk in the jurisdictions where the Company's projects are located; commodity price variation; and general market, industry and economic conditions. Additional risk factors are set out in the Company's latest annual and interim management's discussion and analysis and annual information form (AIF), available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-Looking information is based on reasonable assumptions by management as of the date of this news release, and there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with any forward-looking information included herein. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information in this news release to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date of this news release, except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/217063 SOURCE: Silver Elephant Mining Corp. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / July 22, 2024 / Mastercard Mastercard By Payal Dalal and Christine Svarer Across the garment sector, women take on demanding roles with a dual purpose: to sustain their families today and lay the groundwork for a secure tomorrow. However, many are paid cash wages and lack access to financial services, limiting their ability to save and putting them at risk for theft. They often have less control over their earnings, frequently handing over some or all of their income to a family member. For employers, cash wages are inefficient because counting and distribution are time-consuming processes. Transportation and holding cash on premises expose them to a risk of theft. Responsible wage digitalization, along with gender responsive financial capability training, holds the potential to address these challenges and contribute to social and economic progress. For millions of garment workers, it promises transparency in pay, access to formal financial accounts, a secure place to save and with the right support, increased economic agency and empowerment. There is also an opportunity to move beyond financial inclusion to improve financial health with programs and products that enable garment workers to better manage daily expenses, handle emergencies, stay on track to reach future goals, and feel confident and in control of their money. Investing in women's financial health can have a multiplier effect. Research has shown that when women have greater control over household finances, they tend to invest in essential needs like food security, health and education, leading to better outcomes for families and communities. For businesses, wage digitalization can enhance efficiency and demonstrate wage compliance in factories, create new market segments for financial service providers, and contribute to broader economic stability and growth. This shift can progress countries toward achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, fostering a more inclusive and resilient economy. [Following wage digitization], I know when my salary is coming in. I can pay utility bills, I can easily transfer money to my parents, I can make a loan payment through my account, and I can withdraw and deposit cash whenever I want. Vorn Garment worker in Cambodia Transitioning from cash to digital wages has shown positive outcomes when implemented with a gender-intentional approach, with both women and men garment workers reporting improved financial health and wellbeing. RISE Financial Health training strengthened participants' financial knowledge and skills, built their trust in financial services and increased their control over household financial decisions. This enabled them to make more informed choices about how wages are spent and saved and helped them build more secure futures for themselves and their families. As a result: In Cambodia , at the end of the program, 99% of women surveyed were paid into accounts (up 62%-points) and 84% of women reported saving regularly (up 38%-points), linked to having a safe place to keep their savings. This led to 80% of women reporting confidence in their ability to manage a financial emergency within the next two years (up 25%-points). In Egypt , 73% of women workers reported that having a bank account helped them during the COVID-19 crisis because it allowed them to manage their wages more easily. In Bangladesh, there was a 19%-point increase in the share of women reporting more involvement in household decision-making on how to use their earnings. They now discuss how to use their earning with family members. Wage digitalization also yielded significant payroll and production savings. Factories reported a reduction in the time spent processing, counting, disbursing and auditing payroll: 42% in Egypt, 59% in Bangladesh and 84% in Cambodia, where there are two paydays a month. With the right support, workers also became active users of financial products and services, creating an active new market segment for financial service providers. For example, in Bangladesh, following participation in RISE Financial Health, workers conducted 8-13 transactions a month, including airtime top up and sending remittances. In our new working paper 'Improving financial health and well-being in global supply chains through wage digitalization', we share insights on how responsible wage digitization, including financial capability training for workers, leads to improvements in financial health. We also outline concrete opportunities for financial health practitioners and policymakers to collaborate with the private sector to create impact at scale with wage digitalization. Partnerships will be crucial in this effort, which is why the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth has become the anchor partner for RISE's Financial Health focus area, doubling down on its support for women workers in global garment supply chains. Together, we will seek to replicate and expand the benefits of responsible wage digitalization to reach more women workers and improve their financial health, including expanding the program to two new markets in 2024, Indonesia and Guatemala, and will continue to share learnings and insights with key stakeholders including financial health practitioners and policymakers. We recognize that we cannot tackle the complex challenge of expanding global financial health and well-being alone. Collaboration across sectors is essential. The garment industry, with its large women workforce, and the financial services industry, with a foothold in the digital economy, are important partners for policymakers and practitioners to drive global change. Working together, we can accelerate progress and create lasting impact for workers and their families and build more inclusive and resilient economies. Payal Dalal is executive vice president, global programs, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and Christine Svarer is executive director, RISE (Reimagining Industry to Support Equality). Feature photo credit: RISECDS - M.Moawad Originally published by Mastercard Follow the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth's journey to advance equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world by following us on LinkedIn and Instagram. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Mastercard on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Mastercard Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mastercard Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Mastercard View the original press release on accesswire.com Impaqtive's multi-cloud and platform offerings strengthen Infogain's ability to deliver digital customer experience solutions Infogain, a leader in digital customer experience engineering based in Silicon Valley, today announced its acquisition of Impaqtive, a New Jersey-based Summit Level Salesforce Consulting services firm. Impaqtive's deep expertise in Salesforce multi-cloud implementations and platforms, Salesforce accelerators, and certified team, coupled with Infogain's CX design and platform engineering capabilities will enable the combined business to help customers lead the digital economy by delivering best-in-class customer experience solutions. Dinesh Venugopal, CEO of Infogain said, "Salesforce, a dominant revenue-generating and customer experience platform, brings structured and unstructured customer data into one platform. The acquisition of Salesforce Summit Partner Impaqtive will help Infogain 'activate AI' for its customers, maximizing their returns from the Salesforce platform. We are thrilled to welcome Impaqtive and its leadership team to the Infogain family." Praveen Desai, Co-Founder CEO of Impaqtive said, "This deal propels us forward by providing opportunities to offer our innovative strengths to Infogain's large and valued client base. The acquisition is a testament to our joint vision, and we are excited about being part of Infogain's future growth trajectory." Joseph Korah, Co-Founder President of Impaqtive said, "Our approach to innovation, focus on multi-cloud deployments, Salesforce accelerators, and strong talent base have helped us deliver returns on our clients' Salesforce investments. We are excited to be part of Infogain to accelerate value creation through tailored solutions that exceed client expectations." Kulesh Bansal, CFO of Infogain said, "We are thrilled about this acquisition, as it brings significant synergies through additional innovation capabilities and a global talent pool. With this acquisition, we are even more tightly knit with our clients' digital priorities, underscoring our dedication to the Salesforce ecosystem." Impaqtive, a Salesforce Summit partner, with a team having 450+ Salesforce certifications, 30+ Devops certifications, and 50+ Industry cloud accreditations, works with clients as Strategic Advisors, Platform Architects and Engineering Consultants to drive their digital transformation initiatives leveraging the power of Salesforce platform. Infogain customers will benefit from Impaqtive's capabilities as a Salesforce Summit partner, deep industry expertise, onsite consulting team, nearshore teams in the Cayman Islands, and its expanded offshore presence in Kerala, India. Moreover, Impaqtive's vertical focus on Retail, Hospitality, Media, Hitech, Digital and Manufacturing will enhance service offerings and domain expertise across these industries. About Infogain Infogain is a leader in digital customer experience engineering based in Silicon Valley. Infogain engineers business outcomes for Fortune 500 companies and digital natives in the technology, healthcare, insurance, travel, telecom, and retail/CPG industries. It accelerates experience-led transformation in the delivery of digital platforms using technologies such as cloud, microservices, automation, IoT, and artificial intelligence. Infogain is a multi-cloud expert across hyperscale cloud providers Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services. Infogain, an Apax Funds portfolio company, has offices in California, Washington, Texas, the UK, and Singapore, with delivery centers in Seattle, Dallas, Montevideo, Krakow, Noida, Bengaluru, Pune, Gurgaon, and Mumbai. To learn more, visit www.infogain.com. About Impaqtive Impaqtive is a Salesforce Summit Partner based out of New Jersey. Impaqtive leads with Salesforce offerings that champion multi-cloud connected interactions to drive digital experiences for its clients. As a Salesforce cross-cloud transformation specialist with deep expertise in Salesforce Core Clouds and Emerging Clouds, Impaqtive helps Enterprises across Retail, Hospitality, Media, Technology and Manufacturing maximize their Return on Salesforce investments. Impaqtive has offices in Bridgewater, NJ, USA and delivery centers at Georgetown in Cayman Islands, Kochi and Kannur in Kerala, India. To learn more, visit www.impaqtive.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240722024096/en/ Contacts: For more information, contact: Infogain Piyali Guha piyali.guha@infogain.com Archetype Krishna Khanna Krishna.Khanna@archetype.co Finsbury Growth & Income Trust PLC - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, July 22 For immediate release 22 July 2024 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announce that it has today purchased 173,843 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 834.20 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 49,789,954; 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 175,201,349. The figure of 175,201,349 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 The disease that damages the rectum or colon is called colorectal cancer, which is the largest cancer type that affects a large number of patients, and has the highest mortality rate. With the help of elevated screening in many countries, however, this number is successfully reduced, elevating the life expectancy. WILMINGTON, Del., July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Owing to several contributing factors, the in-vitro colorectal cancer screening test market is expected to attain a USD 2.5 billion valuation mark by 2034. The industry was measured at USD 1.2 billion in 2023. The progress of the competitive landscape is estimated to encompass a decent advancement through the forecasted period. With the scope of advancement adhering to a moderate CAGR of 7.1%, the industry avails better opportunities to key players in the sector. Owing to the changing lifestyles, consumers are found to be inclined toward several ill habits. Ranging from bad food habits like overeating processed food to excessive drinking and smoking, such lifestyle changes are an opportunity for serious diseases like cancer. Download Sample PDF Brochure:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3698 Pertaining to the growing cases of obesity, people have become more prone to such illnesses, which drives the demand for effective diagnosis and treatment. As a result, this is a key driver for the industry, which elevates the size of the sector. The growing prevalence of cancer cases is a key opportunity for many therapies and treatments. Along with this, effective diagnosis is being demanded by consumers as well as medical professionals. This drives the demand for in-vitro colorectal cancer screening test kits. Colorectal cancer comprises almost 10% of the total cancer cases, which drives the demand for in-vitro colorectal cancer screening test kits. Due to the higher mortality rate of this cancer, people have become more aware of the disease. The growing awareness of cancer and treatments for the disease leverages more space for test kits in the industry, fueling growth prospects for key players. As a result, leading organizations can expand better in the industry. The growing investments in the healthcare sector are another determinant of a spike in the demand for test kits. Due to better infrastructure, more prospects are created for leading players in the industry, fueling market growth. The development of large hospitals and other medical facilities has given better choices to patients for effective diagnosis and treatment. Albeit the cancer is usually detected in later stages, with cutting-edge facilities, treatments can be simplified, benefitting patients. In-vitro Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests Market Report Scope: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period? 2024-2034 Base Year? 2020-2022 Size in 2023 US$ 1.2 Bn Forecast (Value) in 2034 US$ 2.5 Bn Growth Rate (CAGR) 7.1 % No. of Pages 120 Pages Segments covered By Test Type, By End-user, By Region Key Findings from the Market Report In the vast competitive landscape, the global in-vitro colorectal cancer screening test market can be segmented into different verticals. Based on the type of the test, the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) segment is likely to gain more demand due to the effectiveness of tests in symptomatic patients. Fecal DNA tests form another key category, which can check mutations of cells in stool to yield better results. This segment, thus, will gain traction in the forecasted period. With the growing investments in the healthcare sector, diagnostic centers are growing. The segment is expected to gain popularity in the future. Based on the end-user segment, hospitals and clinics are expected to fuel the growth of the industry. Due to the cutting-edge facilities, hospitals can provide better assistance to patients, driving the demand for the segment of the sector. Regional Profile The growing number of cancer patients in Europe will create lucrative prospects for leading organizations in the in-vitro colorectal cancer screening test market. The robust healthcare infrastructure in North America drives the market with more force. The growing investments in the healthcare industry in Asia-Pacific will elevate the size of the industry in the region. Request Table of Content Here: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=3698 Competitive Landscape Product launch is a key mode of expansion adopted by leading players in the in-vitro colorectal cancer screening test market. Abbott Laboratories is a key player that has acquired a wide range of brands and produces various cardiovascular, nutritional, and diagnostics products. Thermofisher Scientific Inc. produces beakers and lids, funnels, biochemical reagents, and many more. Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd. is another organization producing fecal testing OC-SENSOR, culture media, veterinary VET-SAA Eiken, and many more. Key Developments in the In-vitro Colorectal Cancer Screening Test Market In January 2024, Abbott Laboratories launched a new Protality brand, which aims to help people lose weight. In June 2024, Thermofisher Scientific Inc. introduced an innovative mass spectrometer, aiming to help advanced clinical research. Key Players Abbott Laboratories Thermofisher Scientific Inc. Eiken Chemical Co. Ltd Qiagen Quest Diagnostics Incorporated Sentinel CH. S.p.A Quidel Corporation Freenome Holdings Inc. Immunostics Inc. BTNX Inc. Other Prominent Players Market Segmentation Test Type Fecal DNA Test Kits Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) Guaiac Fecal Occult Blood Test (gFOBT) Kits Others End User Hospitals & Clinics Diagnostic Centers Others Region North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa Purchase the Report for Market-Driven Insights: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=3698